Effect of time restricted feeding on anthropometric measures, eating behavior, stress, serum levels of BDNF and LBP in overweight/obese women with food addiction: a randomized clinical trial.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Individual randomized controlled trial
PubMed 37436939 · doi:10.1080/1028415X.2023.2234704
What was done
A 2-month randomized controlled trial evaluated the effects of time-restricted feeding (TRF) in 56 overweight and obese women diagnosed with food addiction. Participants were randomized to either a low-calorie diet alone (n = 27) or a low-calorie diet combined with TRF (n = 29). Anthropometric measurements (weight, BMI, waist circumference, fat mass), biochemical markers (serum BDNF, lipopolysaccharide binding protein), eating behavior scores, and stress were measured across the study period.
What was found
Compared with the control group, the TRF group showed significantly greater reductions at week 8 in weight (P = 0.018), BMI (P = 0.015), waist circumference (P = 0.03), and body fat mass (P = 0.036). Cognitive restriction score was higher in the TRF group than controls (P = 0.002). Food addiction criteria scores decreased significantly in both groups (P < 0.001). Serum BDNF increased significantly in the TRF group (P < 0.001) and positively correlated with cognitive restriction (r = 0.468, P < 0.001), while its correlation with food addiction was not significant (beta = 0.588, P = 0.618). Lipopolysaccharide binding protein decreased in both groups, with a significantly larger reduction in the TRF group (P < 0.001). Absolute numerical values and effect sizes were not reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
This study indicates that combining time-restricted feeding with caloric restriction may enhance weight loss and improve eating-related cognitive restraint and biomarkers like BDNF and lipopolysaccharide binding protein in women with food addiction.
Limits
The sample size is small (n = 56) and restricted solely to women. The intervention period was brief at 8 weeks, with no long-term follow-up to test adherence or weight maintenance. The abstract does not specify the exact daily fasting window used for TRF or provide baseline and follow-up numerical values and confidence intervals.
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