Four Weeks of Intermittent Fasting Improves Sleep Quality, Decreases Stress Levels, Improves Quality of Life, and Enhances Body Composition in a Middle Aged Male: A Case Study

Introduction The obesity epidemic, affecting nearly 78 million adults and 13 million children in the United States, is linked to increased propensity for metabolic syndrome, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Weight loss and improvement of body composition through physical activity and dietary modifications can help decrease the risk for these obesity-related diseases. One alternative method of caloric restriction is Intermittent Fasting. Purpose Determine the effect of 4 weeks of Intermittent Fasting on sleep quality, stress, quality of life, and body composition. Methods A forty-seven year old male completed a four-week session of Intermittent Fasting. The subject is a non-smoker, does not drink alcohol, completed higher education, works in a University setting, and is considered otherwise healthy. The subject was required to perform physical activity for a minimum of three times per week for 30 minutes per session. The subject fasted 16 hours from the time of his last meal of the evening to the start of his first meal the following day. Once the fast was broken, the subject was required to consume his daily caloric intake within an 8-hour period, with no requirements on number of meals. Basal Metabolic Rate and Total Daily Energy Expenditure was utilized to calculate daily caloric amounts and macro nutrient goals. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale were administered to determine sleep quality and self-awareness on stress levels. Quality of Life was assessed through the 36-Item Short Form Survey Instrument (SF-36). Body composition was determined using the InBody 270 analyzer. Results At the conclusion of the 4 week intervention, there was an improvement in sleep quality (46.9%), reduction in stress (22.6%), and overall improvement in quality of life. In addition, there was a decrease in weight (4.9 kg), BMI (2.4 kg/m2), body fat (3.1 %), and waist circumference (5.1 cm), respectively. Conclusion We suggest the health benefits of Intermittent Fasting is a viable option to help decrease the risks of obesity related disease, decrease weight, and lower body fat. Results indicate that four weeks of Intermittent Fasting should be considered to improve sleep quality, decrease stress, improve quality of life, and enhance body composition. Our case study shows potential health related benefits from Intermittent Fasting that can be integrated into whole person wellness programs. Further research is needed to expand these positive findings. This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.