If you have obesity and type 2 diabetes, cutting calories in cycles (like fasting some days) might lower your blood fat levels more than other diet plans over four months.

If you have early type 2 diabetes and obesity, cutting calories intermittently—like fasting some days—might lower your blood sugar more than other diet plans, by about 2.3 points on average in 4 months.

Eating fewer calories on some days (intermittent restriction) seems to make the body use insulin better—by a noticeable amount—than other dieting styles for people who are overweight and have type 2 diabetes.

People with obesity and type 2 diabetes stick to intermittent fasting better than time-based eating windows — 85% stayed with it versus 78% — over four months, even though both plans cut the same amount of calories.

If you have obesity and type 2 diabetes, cutting calories in different ways—like fasting sometimes, eating only during certain hours, or eating less every day—can lower your blood sugar about the same amount over four months.

Intermittent fasting might help lower triglycerides a little more than regular calorie cutting in people with overweight or obesity, but the difference is so small that scientists can't say for sure it's not just due to chance.