Intermittent fasting in the treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and prevention of other diseases: a literature review

Austė Bandzaitė1, Ugnė Kryžiūtė2, Arūnė Žičkevičiūtė2

1Lithuanian university of health sciences, Department of Family Medicine, Kaunas, Lithuania

2Lithuanian university of health sciences, faculty of Medicine, Kaunas, Lithuania

Abstract

Background. Obesity and diabetes are causes of many diseases. According to the World Health Organization in 2021, 537 million people had type 2 diabetes among adults (20-79 years old). It is predicted that in 2030 this number will reach 643 million and in 2045 – 783 million. Intermittent fasting has been shown in animal studies and clinical trials to be associated with better outcomes in obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and neurological disorders.

The aim. To analyze the articles published in the Pubmed database on the topic of intermittent fasting.

Methods. Selected scientific articles published since 2012 to 2022, which present the impact of intermittent fasting in the treatment of diabetes mellitus and obesity. Keywords used: „intermittent fasting“, „diabetes“, „obesity“, „general practise“, „body weight“.

Results. Intermittent fasting can be used as a method to help reduce the incidence or severity of obesity or diabetes. Conclusions. An intermittent fasting diet reduces insulin resistance, glycated hemoglobin levels in the blood and helps to control body weight. The literature lacks data on long-term benefits of intermittent fasting in the treatment of obesity and diabetes.

Keywords: diabetes mellitus, obesity treatment, calorie restriction diet, intermittent fasting.

Full article

https://doi.org/10.53453/ms.2023.3.18