The timing isn’t key to weight loss.
In a head-to-head comparison, researchers found that obese, pre-diabetic individuals who consumed the same daily caloric intake experienced similar weight loss and health outcomes regardless of their eating schedule.
Dr. Nisa Maruthur, leading a team at Johns Hopkins Medicine, presented these findings at the American College of Physicians’ annual meeting and simultaneously published the study in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Despite the popularity of intermittent fasting, the study suggests that weight loss occurs when overall caloric intake is reduced, regardless of when food is consumed.
The trial involved 41 participants with obesity and pre-diabetes, primarily Black women with an average age of 59. They were divided into two groups: one practiced time-restricted eating, consuming meals between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., while the other group ate within a more conventional timeframe, from 8 a.m. to midnight.
All participants received prepared meals with identical nutritional compositions and calorie counts. After 12 weeks, both groups showed comparable weight loss results, with those on the fasting regimen shedding an average of just over 5 pounds, while the regular eating group lost slightly more, about 5.7 pounds. Blood sugar changes also did not significantly differ between the two groups.
Dr. Maruthur’s team concluded that obese, pre-diabetic individuals may achieve similar weight loss outcomes by reducing daily caloric intake without strictly adhering to a fasting schedule.
While acknowledging the simplicity of time-restricted eating, nutrition researchers Drs. Krista Varady and Vanessa Oddo from the University of Illinois emphasized that fasting may still be beneficial for overweight individuals. They noted that fasting naturally reduces calorie intake, simplifying weight loss efforts by eliminating the need for calorie counting.
In their editorial accompanying the study, Varady and Oddo highlighted the appeal of fasting due to its ease of implementation, suggesting that it remains a viable option for those who prefer a simplified approach to weight loss interventions.
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