A recent study led by Manuel Dote-Montero and Antonio Clavero-Jimeno at the Sport and Health University Research Institute in Granada, Spain, has shed light on the effectiveness of time-restricted eating (TRE) for weight loss. Conducted as a 12-week multicenter randomized clinical trial, the study involved 197 adults in Spain with overweight or obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, and at least one cardiometabolic risk factor. Participants were divided into four groups: usual care, early TRE, late TRE, and self-selected TRE, with the TRE groups following an 8-hour eating window. The findings revealed that TRE could significantly aid weight reduction, though it showed no notable impact on visceral adipose tissue (VAT).
The study received funding from various prominent institutions, including the MCIU/AEI, ERDF EU A Way of Making Europe, Junta de Andalucía, University of Granada, EXERNET Research Network on Exercise and Health, among others. It was published online in the prestigious journal, Nature Medicine. Notably, one author disclosed receiving lecture fees from Novo Nordisk and Abbott outside the submitted work.
Participants in the trial were randomly assigned to different eating schedules. The early TRE group began eating by 10:00 AM, the late TRE group after 1:00 PM, and the self-selected group chose their preferred times. While all groups received usual care, those in the TRE groups saw greater body weight reductions compared to the usual care group. Specifically, the early TRE group exhibited a mean difference (MD) of -2.9 kg, the late TRE group -2.4 kg, and the self-selected TRE group -3.1 kg.
"These results underscore the potential of TRE to facilitate substantial weight loss, even without specific dietary counseling on caloric restrictions,"
Manuel Dote-Montero and Antonio Clavero-Jimeno
The early TRE group not only experienced significant weight loss but also showed a notable reduction in subcutaneous adipose tissue (MD, -5%; P = .005), fasting glucose levels (MD, -6 mg/dL; P = .01), and energy intake (MD, -307 kcal/d; P = .01). However, researchers observed no significant changes in VAT between the TRE groups and the usual care group.
Despite these promising outcomes, mild adverse events were reported among participants in the TRE groups. These included instances of hypoglycemia, thrombosis, migraine, headache, and colitis, with each occurring only once. Importantly, no serious adverse events were noted throughout the study.
The primary aim of this research was to assess changes in VAT using MRI after a 12-week intervention. Although no significant differences in VAT were found between the groups, the study highlights the potential of TRE as an approach for weight management.
Leave a Reply