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A widely recognized diet celebrated as a ‘miracle’ for weight loss could indeed assist in shedding pounds, according to scientists – unless you make a minor adjustment.
Time-restricted eating – a form of intermittent fasting – involves alternating between eating and fasting during specific time frames.
Time-restricted eating entails consuming all your meals within a designated time frame – with no snacking in between.Credit: Getty
It primarily emphasizes when you eat, rather than what you eat.
This method has become a popular strategy for weight loss, with research indicating it may also enhance heart health and lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.
However, new studies reveal a more complex picture regarding the diet – suggesting that what we eat still plays a crucial role when practicing time-restricted eating (TRE).
The dietary approach does not result in weight loss or improved health if you continue to consume the same number of calories as you would on a typical eating day, according to researchers from the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke (DIfE) and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin.
Adhering to TRE means consuming all your meals within a 10-hour window while fasting for the remaining 14 hours of the day.
Prior studies conducted on mice suggest that this diet can help shield against metabolic disorders and health issues linked to obesity.
Human studies have also demonstrated that TRE can reduce body weight and fat while decreasing harmful cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Consequently, TRE is sometimes recommended as a method to manage insulin resistance – a condition where the body struggles to regulate blood sugar – and diabetes.
Nonetheless, the German researchers pointed out that many of these studies fail to clarify whether participants’ health improvements were due to shorter eating periods, unintentional calorie reduction, or a combination of both factors.
They also did not meticulously monitor the daily caloric intake of participants or control other variables that could affect weight or other health results.
In response, Professor Olga Ramich led the ChronoFast trial to assess whether TRE could enhance insulin sensitivity and weight management independent of calorie consumption.
The trial involved 31 overweight or obese women who followed two different eating schedules over two weeks.
Participants either ate between 8 am and 4 pm or between 1 pm and 9 pm.
In both scenarios, they consumed nearly identical meals with the same caloric content.
Researchers collected blood samples from the participants during four clinic visits, recorded their meals, and monitored their blood sugar levels.
Contrary to earlier findings, the ChronoFast study revealed no clinically significant changes in the participants' insulin sensitivity, blood sugar, blood fats, or inflammatory markers after the two-week eating plans.
Professor Ramich stated: “Our results indicate that the health benefits observed in previous studies were likely due to unintended calorie reduction rather than the shortened eating window itself.
However, researchers noted that TRE did alter the participants’ circadian rhythms – the internal body clock that dictates our wake and sleep times.
Exploring Intermittent Fasting
There are several variations of intermittent fasting, with some being more restrictive than others.
Popular examples include:
- The 16/8 method: A fasting period of sixteen hours with an eight-hour eating window – you can consume water, milk, tea, and coffee during the fasting period.
- The 5:2 method: Designate two days a week where you consume approximately 500 to 600 calories, while maintaining a regular, balanced diet on the other five days.
- The 24-hour fast: Abstaining from food for a 24-hour period, either monthly or weekly.
- Alternate day fasting: Fasting every other day, which Bupa notes can be challenging to sustain over the long term.
There are numerous ways to shorten your eating window – you may have already done so unintentionally.
Examples include:
- Having a later breakfast
- Skipping breakfast altogether
- Having an early dinner
Participants who followed the later eating schedule went to bed and woke up later.
First author Beeke Peters remarked: “The timing of food intake serves as a cue for our biological rhythms — much like light.”
Researchers stated that their study – published in Science Translational Medicine – demonstrated that the advantages of intermittent fasting ultimately hinge on caloric intake.
Professor Ramich concluded: “Individuals aiming to lose weight or enhance their metabolism should focus not only on the timing of their meals but also on their energy balance.”
Future research should explore whether combining TRE with reduced calorie intake can yield greater benefits.
Previous studies on another type of intermittent fasting suggest that reducing calorie intake three days a week may promote weight loss.
Eating breakfast at 9 am and having dinner before 5 pm can be beneficial, researchers told Sun Health.
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Eze Chidiebere Paul
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