The Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Quality of Life and Happiness: A Randomized Control Trial

Background: College students face a particularly high prevalence of body dissatisfaction and weight instability increasing the risk of being unhappy and having a poor quality of life. Time-restricted feeding, a type of intermittent fasting, has gained popularity recently for sustainable weight loss without the characteristic dietary restrictions of most fad diets. A limited number of randomized control trials have looked at the effects of time-restricted feeding in humans, but none have looked at how this dietary regimen impacts happiness and quality of life. Objective: The goal was to examine the effects of an 18-hour daily fasting regimen compared to an 8-hour daily fasting regimen on happiness and quality of life in college students in Arizona. Methods: Participants included 29 healthy, non-smoking, non-vaping students attending college in Arizona between October 2020 to March 2021. Of the 16 participants allocated to the time-restricted feeding intervention, 8 completed the trial. Of the 13 participants allocated to the control group, 10 completed the trial. The eating window began within one hour of waking up with a 6-hour eating window for the intervention group and 16-hour window for the control group. They could do one cheat day per week. No dietary restrictions were enforced. Participants completed the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire and the WHOQOL-BREF quality of life questionnaire at baseline, week 4, and week 8. Week 8 data were not reported due to data collection changes and cancellations related to the new safety protocols for the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Quality of life related to social relationships improved significantly in the intervention group (p=0.026). There was a trend favoring the intervention group as well showing a possible improvement in happiness related to perceived energy levels (p=0.088). No other significant data were reported. Conclusion: Adherence to an 18-hour time-restricted feeding regimen for 8 weeks may improve quality of life related to social relationships in college students in Arizona. The results of this trial do not suggest a significant impact on overall quality of life or happiness in this population.