In time-restricted eating, people typically eat their normal diet but only within a specified time period each day. This can range from 6 to 12 hours. Time-restricted eating was found to be more effective for losing weight and improving diastolic blood pressure reports a recent article published in ‘JAMA Internal Medicine’. This randomized trial compared time-restricted eating (TRE) with eating over a period of 12 or more hours while matching weight-loss counseling across groups to determine whether practicing TRE by eating early in the day (eTRE) is more effective for weight loss, fat loss, and cardiometabolic health than eating over a period of 12 or more hours.

The study was a 14-week, parallel-arm, randomized clinical trial conducted in adults aged 25 to 75 years with obesity and who received weight-loss treatment through the Weight Loss Medicine Clinic at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital.

Ninety participants were enrolled (mean [SD] body mass index, 39.6 [6.7]; age, 43 [11] years; 72 [80%] female). The eTRE+ energy restriction (ER) group adhered 6.0 (0.8) days per week. The eTRE+ER intervention was more effective for losing weight (−2.3 kg; 95% CI, −3.7 to −0.9 kg; P = .002) but did not affect body fat (−1.4 kg; 95% CI, −2.9 to 0.2 kg; P = .09) or the ratio of fat loss to weight loss (−4.2%; 95% CI, −14.9 to 6.5%; P = .43). The effects of eTRE+ER were equivalent to reducing calorie intake by an additional 214 kcal/d. The eTRE+ER intervention also improved diastolic blood pressure (−4 mm Hg; 95% CI, −8 to 0 mm Hg; P = .04) and mood disturbances, including fatigue-inertia, vigor-activity, and depression-dejection

Thus, according to the researchers, time-restricted eating is effective for weight loss, and it can also improve mood and blood pressure.