Efficacy and safety of modified fasting therapy for weight loss in 2054 hospitalized patients

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of modified fasting therapy, and a retrospective study was conducted to analyze changes in clinical indicators of hospitalized fasting patients. Methods A total of 2054 hospitalized fasting patients were enrolled in this observational study. All participants underwent 7 days of modified fasting therapy. The clinical efficacy biomarkers, safety indicators, and body composition were measured before and after fasting. Results The modified fasting therapy reduced body weight, BMI, abdominal circumference, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure significantly. Blood glucose and indicators of body composition were improved to various extents (all p < 0.05). There was a small increase in liver function, kidney function, uric acid, electrolytes, blood count, coagulation, and uric biomarkers. Subgroup analysis results showed that cardiovascular diseases benefited from modified fasting therapy. Conclusions At present this study is the largest retrospective population‐based study about modified fasting therapy. The results from 2054 patients showed that the modified fasting therapy lasting 7 days was efficient and safe. It led to improvements in physical health and body weight‐associated indicators, as well as body composition and relevant cardiovascular risk factors.