Time-restricted eating by eating early in the day is more effective for weight loss at 14 weeks than eating over a period of 12 or more hours daily, according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Participants were aged 25 to 75 years with obesity and received weight-loss treatment.

Ninety participants were randomly assigned to eating early in the day (eTRE) plus energy restriction (eight-hour eating window from 7am to 3pm) or control eating plus energy restriction.

Dr Humaira Jamshed (PhD) from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and colleagues found that the eTRE plus energy restriction intervention was more effective for weight loss (-2.3 kg) but did not affect body fat or the ratio of fat loss to weight loss.