Background: Metabolic syndrome, characterized by central obesity, dysglycemia, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance, primarily driven by visceral adiposity, plays a central role in its pathogenesis. Intermittent fasting (IF) has gained attention as a non-pharmacological intervention to improve metabolic health by promoting metabolic flexibility and improving insulin sensitivity. Methods: A 12-week randomized observational study was conducted with 200 overweight adults (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m²) aged 18-50 years. Participants were randomly assigned to either the intermittent fasting group (8-hour time-restricted eating) or a control group with no dietary intervention. Metabolic syndrome markers including fasting blood glucose, blood pressure, waist circumference, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and BMI were measured at baseline and after 12 weeks. Results: The intermittent fasting group showed significant improvements in fasting blood glucose (-6.7 mg/dL), blood pressure (-7/5 mmHg), waist circumference (-4.2 cm), triglycerides (-30.2 mg/dL), and HDL cholesterol (+5.1 mg/dL). BMI decreased by 1.3 kg/m² in the IF group, compared to 0.2 kg/m² in the control group. 24% of the IF group showed overall improvement in metabolic syndrome, compared to 0% in the control group. Additionally, 36% of the IF group improved in two or more metabolic syndrome components. Conclusion: Intermittent fasting significantly improved key markers of metabolic syndrome in overweight adults, including glucose, blood pressure, lipid profile, and body weight. These findings support the potential of intermittent fasting as an effective non-pharmacological approach for managing metabolic syndrome and improving cardiometabolic health.

Intermittent Fasting, Metabolic Syndrome, Overweight, Cardiometabolic Health, Time-Restricted Eating