Intermittent fasting remains one of the most talked-about diet trends— but a major new evidence review suggests the results may not live up to the hype.Researchers analyzed 22 randomized clinical trials involving nearly 2,000 adults with overweight or obesity.The studies looked at several popular approaches, including alternate-day fasting, periodic fasting, and time-restricted eating. Most followed participants for up to a year.The results: Compared to traditional strategies like calorie restriction, or even doing nothing at all, intermittent fasting had little to no effect on achieving a 5% reduction in body weight. And it may make little or no difference in quality of life.The lead author says, “Intermittent fasting may be a reasonable option for some people…. It “just doesn’t seem to work for overweight or obese adults trying to lose weight.”The evidence is still limited, based on 22 trials, many of them small and short-term.For now, the authors say doctors and patients should think about whether intermittent fasting is realistic and sustainable before choosing it as a treatment approach.Source: Cochrane Database of Systematic ReviewsAuthor Affiliations: Universidad Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires Cochrane Associate Centre, Universidad Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group, Hospital Parmenio Piñero, Buenos Aires, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Universidad de Valparaíso, Institut de Recerca Sant Pau .Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter