Restricting food intime periods of 3 months potentially aids in long-term weight reduction maintenance.
Intermittent fasting, or time-restricted eating, has gained popularity in recent years as a weight loss strategy. This dietary pattern involves having a set eating window during the day and fasting for the remaining hours. There's been debate over what time of day to schedule the eating window, early or late.
A recent study, presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) 2025, found that long-term weight loss is achievable through time-restricted eating, regardless of when the eating window falls. The researchers recruited 99 participants with an average age of 49 who were considered overweight or obese. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups: a habitual eating group, an early time-restricted eating group, a late time-restricted eating group, and a self-selected time-restricted eating group.
After 12 weeks, all time-restricted eating groups lost more weight than the habitual eating group. The early and late time-restricted eating groups experienced the most significant weight loss. At the 12-month mark, participants in the habitual eating group gained weight, while all three time-restricted eating groups maintained their weight loss.
The study suggests that time-restricted eating can be an effective strategy for short- and long-term weight loss, even without strict calorie counting. It also indicates that the specific time of day may not significantly affect the long-term weight loss outcome as long as the eating window is limited to 8 hours daily.
Weight loss through time-restricted eating is thought to result from the 16-hour fasting period rather than the specific time of day when eating occurs. It works by limiting when people eat, which often leads to reduced overall calorie intake without the need for explicit calorie counting. This makes it a potentially more sustainable and simple alternative to traditional low-calorie diets.
If you're considering trying intermittent fasting, dietitian Monique Richard advises mapping out your daily schedule to see how your nutritional needs can be met within an 8-hour eating window. She also encourages you to consider the "why, how, what, and when" of your eating habits to maximize the benefits of intermittent fasting and promote better overall health.
- Incorporating time-restricted eating, or intermittent fasting, into your lifestyle could potentially aid in weight loss and management, as suggested by a study presented at ECO 2025.
- The study, which involved overweight or obese participants with an average age of 49, found that all time-restricted eating groups lost more weight than the habitual eating group after 12 weeks.
- Notably, the early and late time-restricted eating groups experienced the most significant weight loss, with both groups maintaining their weight loss at the 12-month mark.
- By limiting when one eats, time-restricted eating can result in reduced overall calorie intake, making it a potentially more sustainable and simple alternative to traditional diets for weight loss and health-and-wellness.
- To maximize the benefits of intermittent fasting and promote better overall health, dietitian Monique Richard advises considering the "why, how, what, and when" of one's eating habits and mapping out a daily schedule to met nutritional needs within an 8-hour eating window.
