A randomized controlled trial conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago found that time-restricted eating (intermittent fasting) produced similar weight loss results to traditional calorie counting among racially diverse obese adults.
A study from the University of Illinois at Chicago found that time-restricted eating (intermittent fasting) produced similar weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity as traditional calorie restriction among obese adults. Participants in the time-restricted eating group consumed fewer calories and lost more weight over a year than those who did not change their eating habits. Further research is needed to understand individual responses to each dietary intervention.
A small randomized controlled trial found that time-restricted eating, also known as intermittent fasting, produced similar weight loss results as traditional calorie counting in a racially diverse population of obese adults. The study also showed that participants who engaged in 8 hours of time-restricted eating had improved insulin sensitivity compared to those in a control group who ate their calories at any time over 10 or more hours a day. The study was published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Obesity is a major health problem. Many traditional weight loss diets involve calorie counting, which can be cumbersome and difficult to follow. Time-restricted eating, without counting calories, has become a popular weight loss strategy because it is easy to implement. It is not clear whether it is effective for weight loss, especially in the short term.
Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago studied 90 obese adults from the Greater Chicago area to determine whether intermittent fasting or a calorie-restricted diet would be more effective in controlling weight and reducing cardiometabolic risk.
Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: an 8-hour time-restricted meal (eating only from noon to 8:00 p.m., no calorie counting); calorie restriction (reduce 25% of their daily calories) or no change in calorie intake, eating for 10 hours or more throughout the day. Both the time-restricted and calorie-restricted groups met regularly with a dietitian. Participants were not blinded.
The authors found that the time-restricted participants ate 425 fewer calories per day than the control group and lost about 10 pounds more than the control group after one year. The calorie-restricted group ate 405 fewer calories per day and lost about 12 more pounds after one year. Participants showed high levels of adherence to both interventions.
Authors of an accompanying editorial from the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center and the Department of General Internal Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine say that access to dietitians likely helped participants in the restricted eating group make healthier food choices.
They believe the results of this study can help guide clinical decision-making by taking individual preferences into account, rather than simply choosing a diet that may be more effective. They emphasize that the results of this study highlight the considerable individual variability in weight loss using these interventions and that further research is needed to determine who would benefit most from each of these interventions.
References:
“Patient Summary: Time-Restricted Eating Without Counting Calories for Weight Loss” 27 Jun 2023, Annals of Internal Medicine.
DOI: 10.7326/P23-0003
“Time-Restricted Eating Without Calorie Counting for Weight Loss in a Racially Diverse Population: A Randomized Controlled Trial” by Shuhao Lin, MS, RD, Sofia Cienfuegos, PhD, Mark Ezpeleta, PhD, Kelsey Gabel, PhD, RD, Vasiliki Pavlou, MS, RD, Andrea Mullas, MS, RD, Kaitie Chakos, MS, RD, Mara McStay, MS, RD, Jackie Wu, MS, RD, Lisa Tussing-Humphreys, PhD, RD, Shaina J. Alexandria, PhD, Julienne Sanchez , MD, Terry Unterman, MD, and Krista A. Varady, PhD, 27 Jun 2023, Annals of Internal Medicine.
DOI: 10.7326/M23-0052
“Time-restricted feeding for the treatment of obesity? The devil is in the (consulting) details” by Adam H. Gilden, MD, MSCE and Victoria A. Cattenacci, MD, 27 Jun 2023, Annals of Internal Medicine.
DOI: 10.7326/M23-1396