Researchers have found that time-restricted eating (TRE) combined with standard nutritional counselling, led to modest improvements in glucose control and weight loss among adults.
The randomized controlled trial by the resarchers from Salk Institute for Biological Studies and the Universityof California San Diego involved 108 participants and tracked their eating habits through the myCircadianClock (mCC) app.
Results showed that the TRE group experienced greater reductions in fat mass and improvements in glucose control compared to those who followed standard dietary guidance alone.
Research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, assessed the impact of time-restricted eating (TRE) on glucose regulation, fat mass, and weight loss in adults with metabolic syndrome.
Metabolic syndrome is not a distinct condition; rather, it includes a collection of risk factors that are associated with an increased likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and high cholesterol.
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This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of personalized TRE as a lifestyle intervention, in addition to standard nutritional counseling.
The findings indicated that TRE, combined with standard nutritional counseling, resulted in modestly greater improvements in glucose control and reductions in weight and fat mass compared to standard nutritional counseling alone.
Time-restricted eating (TRE), commonly seen in intermittent fasting, is gaining popularity as a method for weight management. The most prevalent approach involves consuming food within an 8 to 12-hour window each day, while fasting outside that period, allowing only water and calorie-free beverages.
Research suggests that TRE may provide several health benefits. These include weight loss, particularly for individuals with overweight or obesity, as well as improved cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Other potential benefits include enhanced cognitive function, anti-aging and anti-cancer effects, and improved insulin sensitivity.
What is Time-restricted eating
Time-restricted eating is a diet focusing on meal timing instead of calorie intake. Time-restricted eating involves limiting the hours for eating to a specific number of hours each day, which may range from a 4- to 12-hour time window in 24 hours. It’s a type of intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting (IF), time-restricted eating (TRE) and fasting-mimicking diets (FMD) are gaining popularity as weight loss programme.
It means that a person eats all of their meals and snacks within a particular window of time each day. This timeframe can vary according to the person’s preference and the plan they choose to follow. Typically though, the eating window in time-restricted programs ranges from 6–12 hours a day. Outside of this period, a person consumes no calories. They may drink water or no-calorie beverages to remain hydrated. In some TRE plans, people may also consume unsweetened coffee or tea. A research involving over 20,000 adults found that those who followed an 8-hour time-restricted eating schedule, a type of intermittent fasting, had a 91% higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease. People with heart disease or cancer also had an increased risk of cardiovascular death. Compared with a standard schedule of eating across 12-16 hours per day, limiting food intake to less than 8 hours per day was not associated with living longer. Affects of TRE-
- Among people with existing cardiovascular disease, an eating duration of no less than 8 but less than 10 hours per day was also associated with a 66% higher risk of death from heart disease or stroke.
- Time-restricted eating did not reduce the overall risk of death from any cause.
- An eating duration of more than 16 hours per day was associated with a lower risk of cancer mortality among people with cancer.
