The main reason intermittent fasting might be better than cutting calories all the time is that people find it easier to stick with, not because it boosts metabolism more.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (2)
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Is isocaloric intermittent fasting superior to calorie restriction? A systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs.
The study compares intermittent fasting and regular dieting and finds similar health benefits, but doesn’t measure how easy each is to stick to. Since dieting was better for some symptoms, the main benefit of fasting might not be health gains, but simply that people find it easier to follow.
The research found that fasting and regular dieting work equally well for health, but people stick to fasting plans more easily.
Contradicting (1)
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The study shows that intermittent fasting helps with blood sugar and metabolism more than just being easier to stick to, which goes against the idea that its main benefit is just better adherence.
Gold Standard Evidence Needed
According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.