Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40705196›Full record

SynthesisCurrent nutrition reports2025

Intermittent Fasting for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease Risks: Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Kelemu Tilahun Kibret, Anna Peeters, Teketo Kassaw Tegegne, Yonatan Moges Mesfin, Melanie Nichols

Abstract readNetwork Meta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Current nutrition reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Sjogren's Disease and Elevated Cardiovascular Risk: Mechanisms and Treatment.Journal of cardiovascular development and disease · 2025
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Kelemu Tilahun KibretGlobal Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, Institute for Health Transformation, School of Health and Social Development, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia. kelemu.kibret@deakin.edu.au.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4357-4122
Anna PeetersGlobal Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, Institute for Health Transformation, School of Health and Social Development, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia.
Teketo Kassaw TegegneInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia.
Yonatan Moges MesfinMurdoch Children's Research Institute, Asian-Pacific Health, Immunity and Global Health, Infection, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
Melanie NicholsGlobal Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, Institute for Health Transformation, School of Health and Social Development, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

contextWhile several studies have assessed the potential effect of intermittent fasting on reducing cardiovascular risks, the findings are inconclusive.

objectiveTo compare the relative effectiveness of intermittent fasting methods in reducing key cardiovascular risks.

methodsStudies were searched from Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library Central and Global Health to identify studies that enrolled adults (≥ 18 years) to intermittent fasting methods and reported effects on one of the six specified cardiovascular risk factors. We performed a random-effects network meta-analysis using a frequentist framework. Outcomes were reported as mean differences (MD) with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI).

resultsFifty-six studies were included in the analysis. With high certainty of evidence, modified alternate-day fasting was found to be the most effective intervention compared to a usual diet in reducing body weight (MD= -5.18 kg; 95% CI: -7.04, -3.32), waist circumference (-3.55 cm; -5.66, -1.45), systolic blood pressure (-7.24 mmHg; -11.90, -2.58), diastolic blood pressure (-4.70 mmHg; -8.46, -0.95). With high certainty, time-restricted eating was the most effective intervention compared to usual diet in reducing fat-free mass (-0.82 kg; -1.46, -0.17), waist circumference (-3.00 cm; -4.50, -1.51), diastolic blood pressure (-3.24 mmHg; -4.69, -1.79) and fasting plasma glucose (-3.74 mg/dL; -6.01, -1.46).

conclusionsModified alternate-day fasting, and time-restricted eating appear to be promising approaches for reducing most cardiovascular risk factors. These intermittent fasting methods may be considered as potential components of lifestyle interventions aimed at managing cardiovascular disease risk factors. However, further long-term randomised controlled trials comparing intermittent fasting methods are needed to confirm their efficacy and assess their safety over time.

Indexed as

Cardiovascular DiseasesFastingAdultBlood PressureHeart Disease Risk FactorsHumansIntermittent FastingRisk FactorsWaist CircumferenceCardiometabolic risk factorsIntermittent fastingNetwork meta-analysis

Identifiers

PMID40705196
PMCPMC12289860

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.