Cell Metab. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2020.06.018 (2020)

Time-restricted feeding results in caloric-intake reduction, weight loss and improved cardiometabolic measures.

Time-restricted feeding, or intermittent fasting, in which a person eats only during a short period of the day, has gained in popularity as a healthy approach to weight loss and results in an improvement in cardiometabolic risk factors, although it is yet to be assessed in a rigorous clinical trial.

Cienfuegos and colleagues carry out a randomized clinical trial of 4-hour and 6-hour restricted feeding, and a control diet, over 8 weeks in a group of 58 participants with obesity. They find that restrictive feeding results in a reduction in body weight, insulin resistance and oxidative stress relative to that of control groups, indicative of the potential for the diet to result in improved health outcomes.