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Time-Restricted Eating, Weight Loss, and Metabolism
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Obesity prevalence in U.S. adults is at an alarming age-adjusted 42.4%. 1 Given the fact that even modest weight loss appears to have a beneficial effect on insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk, identifying effective, simple, and acceptable ways for patients to achieve this goal is desirable. Intermittent fasting has been widely promoted in popular media as a means to lose excess body weight “without dieting.” A specific type of intermittent fasting known as time-restricted eating (TRE) refers to eating within a specific time period and fasting outside this time period. Although TRE’s benefits have been demonstrated in animal models, particularly obese mice, the literature regarding the benefits or effects on human populations is limited in quantity and quality. 2
In this randomized controlled trial by Lowe et al, TRE was compared to consistent meal timing (CMT). Participants of the TRE group were asked to restrict eating for a 16-hour period and eat ad libitum during an eight-hour window (noon to 8 p.m.). The CMT group consumed three structured meals per day and was permitted to have snacks between meals. The TRE group was permitted only noncaloric drinks outside of the eating window. Neither of the groups were given a daily caloric restriction. The primary outcome assessed was weight loss for all participants. Secondary outcomes assessed for the in-person cohort included changes in weight, fat mass, lean mass, fasting insulin, fasting glucose, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels, lipids (triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins [LDL], and high-density lipoproteins [HDL]), estimated energy intake, total energy expenditure, and resting energy expenditure from an in-person cohort. Participants were recruited from across the United States between August 2018 and June 2019, and data collection was completed October 2019. The total length of the study was 12 weeks.
Out of 1,975 potential candidates, 141 met inclusion...