Comparing the Effectiveness of the Ketogenic Diet and Intermittent Fasting on 12-Weeks Weight Management in Women with Obesity

Abstract

The optimal dietary strategies for weight loss and maintenance have been at the center of debate for decades. Proponents of each camp presented their assertions, but they could not approve of one diet due to the sophisticated determinants and limited empirical evidence. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of the Ketogenic diet and Intermitting fasting concerning weight loss and risk factors of cardiovascular outcomes. Fifty-eight obese female participants agreed to participate in the 12-week randomized clinical trial followed by a 6-months observational period. The participants are randomly assigned to the ketogenic diet with an aggressive reduction in carbohydrate content or intermitting fasting that involve a restricted meal time. The results reveal that the ketogenic diet will result in rapid, short-term weight loss. In contrast, intermitting fasting will demonstrate better long-term weight maintenance and no noticeable correlation with reducing risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. In conclusion, this study indicates no absolute advantage to any single treatment.