Reduce hunger, boost mood and improve sleep with one simple tool: Time.
A study presented this week at the European Nutrition Conference by King’s College London highighted the potential benefits of extending our morning fast that little bit further. The study, which is the largest of its kind outside of a clinical setting, has provided insightful findings on the benefits of eating within a 10-hour window and fasting for the remaining 14 hours. The results were presented at the European Nutrition Conference and drew upon data from users of the ZOE Health app.
“This is the largest study outside of a tightly controlled clinic to show that intermittent fasting can improve your health in a real world setting. What’s really exciting is that the findings show that you don’t have to be very restrictive to see positive results. A ten-hour eating window, which was manageable for most people, and improved mood, energy levels and hunger. We found for the first time that those who practised time-restricted eating, but were not consistent day to day, did not have the same positive health effects as those who were dedicated every day.”
The study involved a large sample size of 37,545 participants, who were monitored over a three-week period. Participants maintained their usual eating patterns in the first week, followed by a 10-hour eating window for the next two weeks. This intervention revealed several notable benefits.
Hunger, mood and energy.
One of the key findings was the positive impact on hunger, mood, and energy levels. Participants reported experiencing higher energy and improved mood, coupled with lower levels of hunger. This suggests that a 10-hour eating window can be an effective way to manage these aspects of health without the need for overly restrictive diets.
Consistency is king.
The research also indicated that consistency in adhering to the 10-hour eating window was crucial. Those who maintained a consistent eating schedule every day experienced more significant benefits compared to those whose eating window varied day to day. This highlights the importance of regularity in eating patterns when following an intermittent fasting regime. We see similar circadian preferences in our sleep routines where consistency trumps sleep duration.
Furthermore, the study shed light on the broader implications of when we eat, not just what we eat. The timing of meals, as this research suggests, plays a crucial role in health impacts. It was noted that many people could feel satiated and might even lose weight by restricting their food intake to a ten-hour window. This finding is particularly relevant in the context of the increasing interest in diet and nutrition for health and well-being but with an often overwhelming volume of conflicting information on what we should be eating.
High engagement.
An interesting and particularly compelling finding was also the level of engagement: more than 36,231 of the 37,545 participants opted for additional weeks and 27,371 users were classified as highly engaged. Of these, 78% were female, with a mean age of 60 and a BMI of 25.6. As we often see with behavioural changes, where those who have the greatest risk have the most to gain, those with a longer eating window prior to the study saw a greater benefit, suggesting that the impact of intermittent fasting might be more pronounced in certain populations.
Key takeaway is that time restricted eating doesn’t have to be aggressively restrictive to see positive effects on hunger, mood, and energy levels.
