ACP: Time-Restricted Eating May Not Aid Weight Loss, Glycemic Measures

TUESDAY, April 23, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Time-restricted eating (TRE) is not associated with weight loss or glycemic improvements compared with a usual eating pattern (UEP) when calories are held constant in both groups, according to a study published online April 19 in the Annals of Internal Medicine to coincide with presentation at the Internal Medicine Meeting, the annual meeting of the American College of Physicians, held from April 18 to 20 in Boston.

Nisa M. Maruthur, M.D., from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, and colleagues examined the effect of TRE versus UEP on body weight in the setting of stable caloric intake. The analysis included 41 participants with obesity and prediabetes or diet-controlled diabetes who were randomly assigned (1:1) to TRE (10-hour eating window; 80 percent of calories before 1 p.m.) or UEP (≤16-hour window; ≥50 percent of calories after 5 p.m.) for 12 weeks.

The researchers found that at 12 weeks, weight decreased by 2.3 kg in the TRE group versus 2.6 kg in the UEP group. The groups did not significantly differ for change in glycemic measures. Additionally, there were no significant differences seen in waist circumference, blood pressure, or lipid levels.

“In the setting of isocaloric eating, TRE did not decrease weight or improve glucose homeostasis relative to a UEP, suggesting that any effects of TRE on weight in prior studies may be due to reductions in caloric intake,” the authors write.

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