London, June 19 -- Intermittent fasting may be just as effective as traditional calorie-restricted diets for helping people lose weight, according to a comprehensive new review published in The BMJ.

The study suggests that certain fasting methods, such as alternate-day fasting, might offer slightly greater benefits. However, researchers caution that longer-term studies are needed to confirm these effects.

The findings come amid rising global concern about obesity. As of 2022, the World Health Organisation estimated that around 2.5 billion adults worldwide were overweight, and nearly 900 million were classified as obese.

Obesity significantly increases the risk of chronic illnesses like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and high ...