Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that restricts food to defined time windows, such as the 16:8 daily pattern or the 5:2 weekly pattern. It creates a calorie deficit by limiting eating opportunities rather than counting intake.
Research shows intermittent fasting performs comparably to conventional calorie restriction for most people, so the best approach is the one a person can maintain. It is not suitable for everyone, including people with diabetes on certain medicines or a history of disordered eating, so medical guidance is recommended before starting.