TOPLINE:

In adults with obesity and without diabetes, a 12-week intervention of 10-hour time-restricted eating (TRE; a 4.3-hour reduction in the daily eating window) along with standard dietary counseling led to greater weight loss and improved body composition compared with standard of care (SOC) alone. Exploratory analyses revealed that TRE is associated with downregulation of proinflammatory genes in subcutaneous adipose tissue, suggesting favorable metabolic changes beyond weight reduction.

METHODOLOGY:

• Although weight loss has been observed in multiple clinical trials of TRE, its effects on body adiposity and the composition, distribution, and metabolic activity of adipose tissue during treatment of obesity are not well understood.
• Researchers conducted a 12-week clinical trial to compare a 10-hour TRE window with SOC dietary counseling to assess weight loss and body composition improvements in adults with obesity and without diabetes.
• Sixty-one adults (mean age, 55 years; 58% women; mean BMI, 35.5) with a baseline daily eating window of at least 14 hours were randomly assigned to either the TRE group or the SOC group. A total of 52 participants (26 in each group) completed the study.
• The TRE group selected a personalized 10-hour daily eating window and received standard dietary counseling focusing on a heart-healthy Mediterranean diet, whereas the SOC group received dietary counseling alone. Both groups logged time-stamped dietary intake using the myCircadianClock smartphone app.
• The primary endpoint was a change in body weight (kg) from baseline till the end of the 12-week intervention. Secondary endpoints were changes in body composition assessed using DEXA, and an exploratory RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis was performed on subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue samples from seven participants in the TRE group experiencing the greatest weight loss and six matched control individuals from the SOC group.

TAKEAWAY:

• At 12 weeks of intervention, the TRE group had a greater mean weight loss from baseline than the SOC group (-4.59 kg vs -1.68 kg; P < .001).
• Reductions in total body fat mass (-3.22 kg vs -1.27 kg; P = .03) and visceral adipose tissue volume (-184.78 cm≥ vs -52.28 cm≥; P = .04) were both greater in the TRE group than in the SOC group.
• The appendicular lean mass index decreased by 0.179 kg/m² in the TRE group but increased by 0.09 kg/m² in the SOC group (P =.047).
• Exploratory RNA-seq and gene set enrichment analysis suggested that the TRE intervention was associated with significantly downregulated expression of genes involved in proinflammatory pathways, including TNF-alpha signaling, interferon-gamma response, interleukin-6-JAK-signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 signaling, interferon-alpha response, and general inflammatory response.

IN PRACTICE:

"Ten-hour TRE is a safe and effective lifestyle intervention to promote weight loss and healthier body composition in adults with obesity, with greater improvements than diet counseling alone," the authors wrote. "Exploratory analyses suggest TRE promotes favorable changes in gene expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue, including a reduction in proinflammatory gene expression."

SOURCE:

This study was led by Michael J. Wilkinson, MD, University of California San Diego. It was published online in Obesity.

LIMITATIONS:

The study had a short (12-week) intervention period and a relatively small sample size. Participants could not be blinded to group assignment. RNA-seq analysis was exploratory, conducted on a small subgroup, and based on bulk adipose tissue samples rather than isolated adipocytes.

DISCLOSURES:

The study received partial funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Three authors reported receiving research grants from the NIH or UCSD/UCLA NIDDK Diabetes Research Center. One author reported receiving consulting fees, honoraria, royalties, and cofounding a company. 

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.