LifeOmic, IU study shows benefits of intermittent fasting

Indianapolis-based health tech company LifeOmic has released the results of what it calls the largest real-world study on intermittent fasting. The study, conducted with the Indiana University School of Medicine, followed nearly 800,000 users of LifeOmic’s fasting and precision wellness apps over a two-year period.

The study, which was published in the peer-reviewed journal JMIR mHealth and uHealth, aimed to quantify user retention, fasting patterns and weight loss among users of the company’s LIFE Fasting Tracker and LIFE Extend app.

Intermittent fasting is an approach to weight loss that focuses on the timing of eating rather than the quantity and content of caloric intake, according to LifeOmic.

The study examined the fasting behavior of users ages 18-100 from 2018 to 2020. It also examined the weight loss of 160,000 users who tracked their weight for up to one year.

Researchers found that 67% of users who started the study classified as either overweight or obese lost 5% or more of their starting weight in 26 weeks.

The study says 39% of users lost 10% or more, and those who fasted the most lost the most weight.

“Studies of intermittent fasting to date have been done in small populations and following strict protocols that don’t reflect the many fasting schedules that people follow normally,” Dr. Benjamin Salisbury, scientific director at LifeOmic, said in written remarks. “We’re proud of our research with renowned scientists at Indiana University School of Medicine, which looks at intermittent fasting behavior in the real world. Our results solidify the positive therapeutic effects intermittent fasting can have on metabolic diseases such as obesity.”

LifeOmic says globally, 13% of adults over the age of 18 are considered obese, while 39% are overweight. In the U.S., the obesity rate jumps to 42.5%.

The study found that intermittent fasting using mobile apps such as LifeOmic’s suite is “a sustainable approach to weight reduction in the overweight and obese population.” Additionally, those at a healthy weight who used IF did not lose much weight, and those who were underweight actually gained a bit of weight on average.

“We are excited that our 2-year study found that IF with a dedicated mobile app can be an effective and sustainable approach to weight loss and maintenance for some adults,” said Dr. Joy Lee, assistant professor of medicine at the IU School of Medicine. “These real-world studies are important for understanding the effects of practices like IF on a large population.”

You can read the full study by clicking here.

LifeOmic was founded in 2016 by serial entrepreneur Dr. Don Brown and has created a series of software platforms to help individuals, employers, researchers and healthcare companies.

The company says Indiana University has a 1.5% ownership interest in LifeOmic and its subsidiaries.