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Can Time-Restricted Eating Help You Lose Weight Without Cutting Calories?

Effect of Isocaloric, Time-Restricted Eating on Body Weight in Adults With Obesity

Study Overview

A recent study aimed to discover if time-restricted eating (TRE) could lead to weight loss without cutting calories. Forty-one adults with obesity and prediabetes or diet-controlled diabetes were divided into two groups. One group followed a TRE plan, eating within a 10-hour window and consuming 80% of their daily calories before 1 p.m. The other group maintained a usual eating pattern (UEP), with an eating window of up to 16 hours and at least 50% of their calories after 5 p.m. Both groups had identical total calorie intakes and nutrient content over the 12-week study period.

Interpretations and Takeaways

The results were surprising: both groups lost a similar amount of weight—around 2.3 kg for the TRE group and 2.6 kg for the UEP group. Additionally, there were no significant differences in blood sugar levels or insulin resistance between the groups. This suggests that the weight loss benefits observed in previous TRE studies might be more due to reduced calorie intake rather than the timing of meals alone.

So, while TRE can be part of a healthy eating strategy, it’s not a magic bullet. Watching your calorie intake remains crucial for effective weight loss.

References:

Maruthur NM, Pilla SJ, White K, Wu B, Maw MTT, Duan D, Turkson-Ocran RA, Zhao D, Charleston J, Peterson CM, Dougherty RJ, Schrack JA, Appel LJ, Guallar E, Clark JM. Effect of Isocaloric, Time-Restricted Eating on Body Weight in Adults With Obesity : A Randomized Controlled Trial. Ann Intern Med. 2024 May;177(5):549-558. doi: 10.7326/M23-3132. Epub 2024 Apr 19. PMID: 38639542.