Comparison of the effects of six-week time-restricted eating on weight loss, body composition, and visceral fat in overweight older men and women.

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a six-week time-restricted eating (TRE) intervention in reducing body weight, fat loss, and visceral fat in overweight, older adult men and women (age range = 65-74 years). Another objective was to determine the feasibility of widespread use of TRE in older women and men. The study randomly assigned 116 healthy, non-smoking participants to one of two conditions: TRE or educational control participants. Participants in the TRE group were instructed to not consume calorie containing beverages or food for 16 h per day, from 8:00 pm to 12:00 pm. Participants in the control group were instructed to follow a meal plan based on their previous habits. The changes in body weight and body composition were determined using a SECA mBCA 515 analyzer. The six-week TRE intervention resulted in a significant decrease in body weight in both men and women (-1.8 kg and-1.3 kg, respectively; p = 0.03). In men, a significant decrease in visceral fat mass (-0.54 l; p ≤ 0.001) and waist circumference (-2.9 cm; p ≤ 0.015) was observed. No significant changes in either visceral fat or waist circumference were observed in women. Additionally, no change in skeletal muscle mass was observed in either the control or TRE group. More than 99 % of female and 98 % of male participants were able to adhere to the prescribed time-restricted eating (16/8) plan, suggesting that this dietary approach could have beneficial effects on the body composition of overweight older men and may also reduce body weight in overweight, older women.

Effect of a six-week times restricted eating intervention on the body composition in early elderly men with overweight.

The main aim of the study was to determine the effectiveness of time-restricted eating (TRE) in reducing body fat and lowering body mass index in early elderly men with overweight (65-74 years). An additional goal was to determine the feasibility of applying TRE for extensive use in elderly men. This study included a group of 46 healthy men (EXP = 23 persons, CON = 23 persons). The six-week intervention in the experimental group involved complete abstinence from food intake for 16 h per day, from 08:00 to 12:00 p.m. After the intervention, the body weight decreased in the EXP group (- 1.92 kg) with a 95% CI (1.14-2.70) compared to the CON group. There was also a decrease in the Visceral fat mass (- 0.64 l) with 95% CI (0.46-0.82) and in the waist circumference (- 3.11 cm) with 95% CI (1.89-4.33) in the EXP group compared to the CON group. The skeletal muscle mass did not change significantly. There was no significant change in the control group, either. The application of TRE in early elderly overweight men resulted in positive changes in body composition and visceral fat. All participants succeed in the prescribed diet plan, which shows that TRE is easy to maintain for early elderly overweight men and may become an essential obesity treatment tool in these age groups.