Meal timing tactics including time-restricted eating and eating earlier in the day have been linked to small amounts of weight loss, researchers have said.
A team from Bond University in Australia examined the findings from 29 clinical trials and found that over 12 weeks, those who employed meal timing strategies such as reduced meal frequency, lost a modest amount of weight.
Standard weight loss techniques involve restricting calories and eating specific foods.
Meal timing techniques take a different approach to weight loss by bringing eating habits in line with circadian rhythms to limit snacking later in the day and regulate the hormones responsible for appetite.
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Obesity is a big driver of early death as it increases the risk of certain types of cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The condition affects one in eight people around the world.
The team from Australia wanted to evaluate how effective meal timing strategies are when it comes to weight loss.
The trials they analysed involved almost 2,500 adults with a mean age of 44 and with an average body mass index of 33.
Of the 29 trials, 17 involved time-restricted eating (TRE), eight employed meal frequency reduction, while the remaining four focussed on altered calorie distribution.
The researchers found that time-restricted eating was linked to an average weight loss of 1.37kgs compared to control groups.
For reduced meal frequency, the figure was 1.85kgs and for earlier calorie intake, the figure was 1.75kgs.
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The team also found that time-restricted eating was associated with reductions in blood glucose levels and fasting glucose levels, which reduces diabetes risk. However, these reductions were small so the impact on health outcomes are unclear.
The study authors concluded: “The findings of this meta-analysis suggest that TRE, lower meal frequency, and earlier caloric distribution in the day may reduce weight compared with standard care and/or nutritional advice; however, the effect sizes found were small and of uncertain clinical importance.”
However, they noted: “High heterogeneity and risk of bias among included studies led to concerns about the certainty of the underpinning evidence.
“Further research, including trials with larger sample sizes, standardised interventions with prescribed or matched energy intake, and longer follow-up, are needed.”
Read the full study in JAMA Network Open.
