MedPath

Time Restricted Eating for Weight Management

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Obesity
Interventions
Other: Calorie restriction
Other: 8-hour Time restricted eating
Registration Number
NCT04692532
Lead Sponsor
University of Illinois at Chicago
Brief Summary

A 12-month randomized, controlled, parallel-arm trial, divided into 2 consecutive periods: (1) 6-month weight loss period; and (2) 6-month weight maintenance, will be implemented. Adults with obesity will be randomized to 1 of 3 groups: (1) 8h-TRE, ad libitum food intake from 12pm to 8 pm, fasting from 8 pm to 12 pm daily, (2) CR, 25% energy restriction every day; or 3) control, ad libitum food intake daily, eating within more than 10 hours per day.

Detailed Description

Time restricted eating (TRE) has become a popular weight loss regimen. The sudden rise in popularity of TRE is mostly likely due to is its sheer simplicity, and the fact that it does not require individuals to count calories in order to lose weight. Participants are simply asked to consume all food within a specified time frame and fast with energy free beverages for the remaining hours of the day. Evidence shows that when people with obesity limit their eating window to 6 to 8 hours per day, they naturally reduce energy intake by 350-500 calories. From a clinical standpoint, these findings are paramount. One of the main reasons for subject attrition with traditional dieting, i.e. daily calorie restriction (CR), is frustration with having to count calories every day. TRE regimens are able to side-step this requirement by allowing participants to simply "watch the clock" instead of monitoring calories, while still producing significant weight loss and metabolic health improvements. This feature of TRE has the potential to improve long-term adherence to the diet, and in turn produce lasting weight control in adults with obesity.

Accordingly, we conducted a one-year, randomized, controlled trial to compare the effects of late TRE (eating all food between 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm, without calorie counting), versus CR (25% energy restriction daily), and a control group eating over a period of 10 or more hours, on body weight and metabolic risk factors in a diverse group of American adults with obesity. We hypothesized that the TRE group would achieve greater weight loss, and experience more pronounced improvements in insulin sensitivity during the 6-month weight loss phase, compared to CR and control participants. We also hypothesized that the TRE group would better maintain their weight loss and sustain their improvements in insulin sensitivity during the 6-month weight maintenance phase, when compared to the CR and control participants.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
90
Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Calorie restrictionCalorie restriction25% energy restriction every day
8-hour Time restricted eating8-hour Time restricted eatingAd libitum food intake from 12-8 pm every day Fasting from 8-12 pm every day (16-h fast)
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in body weightMeasured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by an electronic scale

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in Blood pressureMeasured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by a blood pressure cuff

Change in energy and nutrient intakeMeasured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by 7-day food record

Change in waist circumferenceMeasured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by a measuring tape

Change in sleep qualityMeasured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), total score of 0-21. A PSQI total score greater than 5 indicates poor sleep quality.

Change in risk of sleep apneaMeasured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by Berlin Questionnaire, measures the presence or absence of sleep apnea

Change in appetiteMeasured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by Visual analog scale (VAS). Scored from 0-100. Higher score means higher appetite.

Change in testosterone levels (ng/ml)Measured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by ELISA

Change in fat mass, lean mass, visceral fat massMeasured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by DXA

Change in bone mineral densityMeasured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by DXA

Change in Fasting glucoseMeasured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by a commercial lab (Medstar, IL)

Change in Fasting insulinMeasured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by a commercial lab (Medstar, IL)

Change in Plasma lipids (LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides)Measured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by a commercial lab (Medstar, IL)

Change in estradiol levels (ng/ml)Measured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by ELISA

Change in moodMeasured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) 25: total score 0-100. Higher scores mean worse outcome. Also measured by the Profile of Mood States (POMS)total score 0-100. Higher scores mean worse outcome.

Change in Insulin resistanceMeasured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by HOMA-IR

Change in Insulin sensitivityMeasured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by QUICKI

Change in Heart rateMeasured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by a blood pressure cuff

Change in sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels (ng/ml)Measured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by ELISA

Change in the daily eating windowMeasured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by questionnaire (assesses the time the participant started and stopped eating each day)

Adverse eventsMeasured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by questionnaire

Change in eating disorder symptomsMeasured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by Multifactorial Assessment of Eating Disorders Symptoms (MAEDS), total score of 0-100, Higher scores mean worse outcome.

Change in HbA1cMeasured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by a commercial lab (Medstar, IL)

Change in inflammatory markers (TNF-apha, IL-6, IL-10, IL-B, hs-CRP)Measured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by ELISA

Change in oxidative stressMeasured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by ELISA

Change in physical activity (steps/d)Measured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by pedometer

Change in insomnia severityMeasured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), total score of 0-28. The total score for the ISI is interpreted as follows: no clinically significant insomnia (0-7), sub-threshold insomnia (8-14), moderate severity insomnia (15-21), and severe insomnia (22-28).

Change in quality of lifeMeasured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by the Short Form Survey (SF-36): total score 0-100. Higher scores mean worse outcome.

Change in dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels (ng/ml)Measured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by ELISA

Change in progesterone levels (ng/ml)Measured at month 0, 6 and 12

Measured by ELISA

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Illinois Chicago

🇺🇸

Chicago, Illinois, United States

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath