Exercise + IF dosage review
A fresh systematic review/meta‑analysis looked at optimal exercise dosing when combined with intermittent fasting for body composition and cardiometabolic health in adults—summarizing where exercise intensity, timing and fasting windows interact. The analysis is a timely synthesis for anyone structuring training around IF protocols. (x.com)
The new multilevel meta‑analysis pooled 65 randomized controlled trials totalling 3,293 adults aged 18–75 and was accepted for publication on 24 February 2026 by Frontiers in Nutrition under lead author Mingyue Jiao. (frontiersin.org) (frontiersin.org (frontiersin.org)) Meta‑regression in the paper identified a peak efficacy window of ~45–60 minutes per session, four sessions per week (≈230–300 minutes/week), sustained for 14–30 weeks (cumulative training time ~7,463–8,592 minutes). (frontiersin.org) (frontiersin.org (frontiersin.org)) Compared with control conditions, combined exercise+IF produced statistically significant reductions in body mass, BMI, body‑fat percentage, absolute fat mass, waist circumference and measured visceral fat, while showing no significant change in fat‑free or lean mass. (frontiersin.org) (frontiersin.org (frontiersin.org)) Cardiometabolic markers tracked by the analysis improved: total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol fell; fasting glucose, fasting insulin and HOMA‑IR improved; interleukin‑6 decreased; and VO2max showed a modest increase. (frontiersin.org) (frontiersin.org (frontiersin.org)) The authors used a three‑level random‑effects model and the metafor package in R to account for multiple effect sizes per study, expanding on earlier, smaller syntheses and moderator analyses in the field. (frontiersin.org) (frontiersin.org (frontiersin.org), bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com (link.springer.com)) Earlier reviews had far fewer trials: a 2025 Current Obesity Reports meta‑analysis included 12 studies (616 participants, mean age ~40, BMI ~33.6) and reported smaller absolute fat‑mass and waist‑circumference benefits, underscoring how the new 65‑trial synthesis increases precision. (link.springer.com) (springer.com (link.springer.com), frontiersin.org (frontiersin.org))
