Numerous studies have shown that time-restricted eating (TRE) can reduce body weight, but whether this effect is independent of caloric intake has remained unclear. A recent randomized control trial conducted by Dr. Nisa Maruthur and her team at Johns Hopkins Medicine has shed light on this issue. Their findings suggest that simply minimizing daily caloric intake will lead to weight loss regardless of the timing of meals. The study was published in the ‘Annals of Internal Medicine’.

      All 41 participants completed the intervention (mean age, 59 years; 93% female; 93% Black race; mean BMI, 36 kg/m²). At baseline, the TRE group had an average weight of 95.6 kg (95% CI, 89.6 to 101.6 kg), while the UEP group averaged 103.7 kg (95% CI, 95.3 to 112.0 kg). After 12 weeks, weight reductions of 2.3 kg (CI, 1.0 to 3.5 kg) in the TRE group and 2.6 kg (CI, 1.5 to 3.7 kg) in the UEP group were observed. The average difference in weight loss between the TRE and UEP groups was 0.3 kg (CI, −1.2 to 1.9 kg), indicating no significant difference. Additionally, there were no significant differences in glycemic parameters between the groups.

      The researchers concluded that TRE did not enhance glucose homeostasis or reduce weight more effectively than a usual eating pattern when caloric intake was controlled. This finding suggests that the weight-related effects of TRE observed in previous studies may have been due to reductions in caloric intake rather than the timing of meals.