The Effect of Four Weeks Dietary Intervention with 8-Hour Time-Restricted Eating on Body Composition and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Young Adults

Abstract

Recently, intermittent fasting, also known as time-restricted eating (TRE), has become a popular diet trend. Compared to animal studies, there have been few studies and inconclusive findings investigating the effects of TRE in humans. In this study, we examined the effects of 8 h TRE on body weight and cardiometabolic risk factors in young adults who were mainly active at night. A total of 33 young adults completed the 8 h TRE for 4 weeks. Body composition was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis at baseline and every 2 weeks, and blood samples were collected at baseline and week 4. Daily dietary records were logged throughout the intervention period. Participants experienced significant changes in body weight (−1.0 ± 1.4 kg), body mass index (−0.4 ± 0.5 kg/m2), and body fat (−0.4 ± 1.9%) after 4 weeks of TRE. When participants were divided into weight loss/gain groups based on their weight change in week 4, fat mass reduction was significantly higher in the weight loss group than in the weight gain group. Regarding cardiometabolic risk factors, levels of fasting insulin and insulin resistance improved in the weight loss group after intervention, but not in the weight gain group. All subjects showed late-shifted sleeping patterns, but no significant differences in sleep duration, sleep quality, or psychological measures between the two groups. When meal frequency and energy proportion were evaluated, the average meal frequency was 2.8 ± 0.5 and energy proportions of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks were 4.5, 39.2, 37.6, and 18.5%, respectively; there were no significant differences between the two groups. However, the saturated fat intake at dinner was lower in the weight loss group (3.1 ± 3.2%, 6.0 ± 2.5% respectively). In conclusion, 8 h TRE can be applied as a lifestyle strategy to manage body weight and cardiometabolic risk factors among young adults with late chronotypes.

Effects of Time-Restricted Feeding on Energy Balance: A Cross-Over Trial in Healthy Subjects

“…Although current available data did not support a stronger effect of TRF on body weight and metabolic improvement as compared to continuous caloric restriction, the mechanistic explanation behind this phenomenon remains raised great interest to researchers. Some controversial issues, including inaccurate recording of food intake, unmonitored energy expenditure and the involvement of physiological adaptation were still need to be determined ( 8 – 11 , 13 , 14 , 21 – 24 , 26 , 32 , 33 ). Therefore, we conducted the first rigorous trial to systematically quantify and compare the energy balance during TRF intervention in healthy subjects.…”

Effects of different weight loss dietary interventions on body mass index and glucose and lipid metabolism in obese patients

“…[ 26 ] In addition, IF is a new diet that is more flexible, safe, and compliant than traditional calorie restriction diets. [ 27 ] However, few studies have directly compared their weight loss effects and their effects on metabolic disorders and other health indicators in obese patients. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of 3 different dietary interventions (CRD, HPD, and IF) on body weight, BMI, body fat, glucose, and lipid metabolism, to provide a reference for overweight/obese people to choose appropriate methods.…”

The effect of time of eating on cardiometabolic risk in primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease

“…Likewise, when energy restriction in the intermittent fasting group was equivalent with baseline intake or to comparison/control group, weight loss either did not occur or did not differ from the comparison group 27,30,31,37,51,62,67,69,73 . Lack of reporting or inadequate reporting of energy balance, however, is one of the predominant problems across mADF, cADF and TRE interventions 6,8,10,11,13–15,19,25,26,29,60,65,66,68 …”

“…Intermittent fasting and other interventions to target time of eating have emerged as a proposed therapy to induce weight loss 6‐21,22 and improve cardiometabolic risk factors, such as body composition, 7,8,12,14,15,22,23,24 blood pressure, 7,10,12,23,25‐27 glycaemia, 13,20,25 and lipids, 7,12,20 and some improvements may even be independent of weight loss 28 . Recent randomized controlled trials, however, have been unable to confirm the favourable results shown in preclinical work and single‐arm trials of intermittent fasting 29‐31 .…”