Time-Restricted Eating Promotes Weight Loss and Favorable Changes in Adipose in Obesity: The TREAD Randomized Control...

Area of Science:

• Metabolic Health
• Obesity Research
• Chrononutrition

Background:

• Obesity is a complex metabolic condition requiring effective management strategies.
• Time-restricted eating (TRE) is an eating pattern with potential benefits for weight loss and metabolic health.
• Understanding the impact of TRE on cardiometabolic markers and adipose tissue is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of 10-hour time-restricted eating (TRE) in promoting weight loss among adults with obesity.
• To assess the effects of TRE on cardiometabolic health indicators.
• To explore changes in gene expression within subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue in response to TRE.

Main Methods:

• A 12-week randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing 10-hour TRE to standard of care (SOC).
• Participants were adults with obesity (BMI 30-50 kg/m²), without diabetes, and a baseline eating window ≥14 hours.
• Primary endpoint was change in weight; secondary analyses included body composition and adipose tissue gene expression (RNA-seq).

Main Results:

• The TRE group experienced a mean weight loss of -4.59 kg compared to -1.68 kg in the SOC group (p < 0.001).
• Weight reduction in the TRE group was primarily attributed to loss of body fat, indicating improved body composition.
• Exploratory analyses revealed a downregulation of proinflammatory genes in subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue following TRE.

Conclusions:

• Time-restricted eating (TRE) is an effective intervention for weight loss and improving body composition in adults with obesity.
• TRE may exert beneficial effects by reducing inflammation at the molecular level in adipose tissue.
• TRE represents a promising dietary strategy for managing obesity and associated metabolic disturbances.