intermittent fasting

American  

[in-ter-mit-nt fas-ting] / ˈɪn tər mɪt nt ˈfæs tɪŋ /

noun

1. a pattern of eating that involves regular short periods of fasting, such as by limiting food intake to a certain period of the day or to fewer meals on certain days of the week.

---

Etymology

Origin of intermittent fasting

First recorded in 1875–80, in the context of fasting for religious purposes; 2005–10, in a wellness context

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

intermittent fasting

The researchers examined the popular 16:8 approach to intermittent fasting.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 18, 2026

Its work includes investigating intermittent fasting as a treatment for obesity and associated health problems, along with studying whether bone markers can help predict cardiovascular risk.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 18, 2026

The findings, published in the journal Clinical Nutrition, suggest that intermittent fasting and calorie restriction may promote weight loss through different psychological and behavioral mechanisms.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 8, 2026

After six months, participants in both the intermittent fasting and calorie restricted groups had lost an average of about seven kilograms.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 8, 2026

"Future trials should be designed to identify individuals who struggle to improve eating behaviors, as they may do better with intermittent fasting diets, enabling more personalized weight management," said Professor Heilbronn.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 8, 2026