Time-restricted eating as a potential strategy for healthy lifespan: an evaluation of current evidence

Time-restricted eating (TRE) is a dietary strategy that focuses on adjusting meal timing rather than adjusting diet structure or traditional caloric restriction, and has become a topic of interest in nutritional intervention research. Extending healthy lifespan is a major public health challenge. Diet is one of the key modifiable factors for preventing age-related diseases and maintaining overall health during the aging process. TRE has attracted widespread attention due to its advantages, such as high adherence and good safety, as well as its potential to improve metabolism. This narrative review retrieved clinical trials related to TRE from 2015 to 2025, comprehensively evaluating the latest advances in the field of healthy aging and analyzing the possible mechanisms of action. Research has shown that TRE has potential positive effects on the progression of age-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs), as well as cognitive and psychological functions. Some clinical trial results have shown that TRE can reduce body weight (3%-5%), improve glycated hemoglobin (0.3%-0.5%), and even partially lower total cholesterol (6%-7%) and other metabolic indicators. Meanwhile, we found that TRE exerts metabolic benefits depending on the coordinated regulation of "calorie restriction (CR)" and "eating time restriction." These benefits are influenced by multiple factors, including TRE patterns (fasting duration and eating window), study populations (gender and metabolic status), and combined protocols (nutrition and exercise advice). Notably, in the current TRE studies, the TRE-8 (8-h daily eating duration) has received much attention, with existing evidence indicating its advantages in clinical applications. Similarly, the early eating window (eTRE), due to its alignment with circadian rhythms, also demonstrates relative advantages. In summary, in the field of healthy aging, TRE exerts a certain improvement effect on core indicators related to NCDs risk, such as weight control and glycolipid metabolism (fasting glucose and lipid profile). It also shows a trend of enhancing the quality of life and other aspects. However, its long-term safety, efficacy, and suitable populations require further validation through high-quality research.