Researchers at Rutgers University conducted a pilot study examining whether the timing of meals could provide cognitive benefits for older women engaged in weight loss efforts. The trial involved 47 women ranging in age from 50 to 79 years who were overweight or obese and participating in a six-month weight loss program designed to reduce daily calorie intake by 500 calories.
Participants were divided into two groups with different eating schedules. One group of 26 women was instructed to consume all meals within a nine-hour window, with actual eating periods averaging 8.2 hours daily and concentrated between approximately 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. The remaining 21 women maintained a conventional eating pattern spanning roughly 12 hours each day, with an average eating window of 12.3 hours. Both groups received identical caloric reduction guidance.
After six months, both groups achieved comparable weight loss results, with participants losing an average of approximately 15 pounds regardless of their eating schedule. However, cognitive assessment results differed between the groups. Women in the time-restricted eating group demonstrated significantly better performance on tests measuring spatial planning and problem-solving abilities. Additionally, the restricted eating group showed a tendency toward fewer errors on memory and learning assessments, though this difference did not achieve statistical significance. No meaningful differences emerged in tests evaluating reaction time or multitasking capabilities.
Researchers noted that the improvements in cognitive performance appeared to correlate with the reduction in eating windows. Potential mechanisms underlying these findings may involve interactions between circadian rhythms, inflammatory responses, metabolic function, and biological pathways related to nutrient sensing. Researchers acknowledged the study’s limited scope and emphasized the need for larger-scale investigations to validate findings across broader populations and to establish causation.
The findings were presented at the American Society for Nutrition’s annual conference. Researchers cautioned that results should be considered preliminary, as abstracts presented at the conference typically have not undergone the complete peer review process standard for published scientific journals.
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