The Effectiveness of Intermittent Fasting, Caloric Restriction and Physical Activity On Metabolic Syndrome
Recruiting now · Not applicable
Conditions studied: Metabolic Syndrome
In brief
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a global health issue defined by a cluster of risk factors-abdominal obesity, elevated blood pressure, high fasting blood sugar, high triglycerides, and low HDL cholesterol-that together significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and overall mortality. Globally, about 20-25% of adults are affected, but prevalence varies by region and population; in Saudi Arabia, studies report rates ranging from 28.3% to 56.4%, with higher rates observed in northern and central regions and among men. Major contributors to MetS in Saudi Arabia include obesity, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, and poor dietary habits, such as low fruit consumption. Effective management strategies focus on weight loss through caloric restriction, intermittent fasting, and increased physical activity, all of which have demonstrated improvements in metabolic markers like insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, and lipid profiles. Despite international evidence supporting these interventions, no randomized controlled trials have yet evaluated the combined effects of these approaches on MetS biomarkers in Saudi adults, underscoring the need for targeted research and public health initiatives to address the high and regionally variable burden of MetS in the country.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT07181655
- Run by
- Universiti Putra Malaysia
- People needed
- 140
- Starts
- 2025-04-01
- Expected to finish
- 2027-12-30
- Last updated by the study team
- 2025-09-24
Who can join
Age: 18 and older, up to 80. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.
You may qualify if…
- The inclusion criteria will be adult aged 18 years and above who have three or more of the following five risk factors (Kunduraci \& Ozbek, 2020):
- Abdominal obesity.
- Elevated triglycerides.
- Low HDL cholesterol.
- Elevated blood pressure.
- Elevated fasting blood glucose.
You may not qualify if…
- Being pregnant, lactating women.
- Diagnosis of cardiac failure or/and severe renal or liver diseases, cancer.
- Having had bariatric surgery.
- Physical or mental disability.
- Neurological or cognitive impairment.
- Participant with severely impaired vision, hearing, or speech.
- Following a special diet or having changed their dietary pattern within the previous 12 weeks of the study's start date.
- Use of insulin or sulphonamide derivative oral antidiabetic drugs.
- Conditions that will seriously affect weight management such as having had bariatric surgery.
Where it is running
- Associate Professor Dr. Hazizi Abu Saad — Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia (enrolling)
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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