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Nutrition Journal
Published in: Nutrition Journal 1/2024

Open Access 01-12-2024 | Insulins | Review

Combined versus independent effects of exercise training and intermittent fasting on body composition and cardiometabolic health in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Authors: Mousa Khalafi, Michael E. Symonds, Aref Habibi Maleki, Mohammad Hossein Sakhaei, Mahsa Ehsanifar, Sara K. Rosenkranz

Published in: Nutrition Journal | Issue 1/2024

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Abstract

Introduction and aim

Exercise training (Ex) and intermittent fasting (IF) are effective for improving body composition and cardiometabolic health overweight and obese adults, but whether combining Ex and IF induces additive or synergistic effects is less well established. We therefore, performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the combined versus independent effects of Ex and IF on body composition and cardiometabolic health in adults.

Method

An electronic search was conducted in three main online databases including PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, from inception to March 9, 2023 for studies involving Ex plus IF trials versus standalone Ex and/or IF interventions in adults. Interventions had a duration of ≥ 2 weeks. Standardized (SMD) or weighted mean differences (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated in order to compare effects on body weight, body mass index (BMI), body fat lean body mass (LBM), visceral fat, and waist circumference. For cardiometabolic health, outcomes included fasting glucose, insulin, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, and VO2max/peak.

Results

Ex plus IF decreased body weight [WMD: -3.03 kg (95% CI: -3.44 to -2.61), p = 0.001], BMI [WMD: -1.12 kg.m2 (95% CI: -1.28 to -0.95), p = 0.001], body fat [SMD: -0.72 (95% CI: -1.23 to -0.21), p = 0.005], visceral fat [SMD: -0.34 (95% CI: -0.63 to -0.05), p = 0.01], and waist circumference [WMD: -2.63 cm (95% CI: -4.16 to -1.11), p = 0.001] more than Ex alone. However, changes in body composition and cardiometabolic health markers were not significantly different for Ex plus IF when compared with IF alone, with the exception of VO2max/peak [SMD: 0.55 (95% CI: 0.14 to 0.97), p = 0.009].

Conclusion

We demonstrate that a combination of Ex and IF produces superior changes in body composition, but not in markers of cardiometabolic health when compared with Ex or IF alone. Ex plus IF could therefore be effective for weight and fat loss but has no additive or synergistic effects for other cardiometabolic health markers.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Combined versus independent effects of exercise training and intermittent fasting on body composition and cardiometabolic health in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors
Mousa Khalafi
Michael E. Symonds
Aref Habibi Maleki
Mohammad Hossein Sakhaei
Mahsa Ehsanifar
Sara K. Rosenkranz
Publication date
01-12-2024
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Nutrition Journal / Issue 1/2024
Electronic ISSN: 1475-2891
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-023-00909-x

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