Efficiency of time-restricted eating and energy restriction on anthropometrics and body composition in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
PubMed 41034862 · doi:10.1186/s12966-025-01812-w
What was done
Authors systematically searched five databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Scopus) for randomized controlled trials assessing the effects of time-restricted eating (TRE) alone or combined with energy restriction (TRE + ER) on adult body composition. Meta-analyses and subgroup analyses evaluated changes as weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals.
What was found
Across 20 RCTs totaling 1,242 participants, TRE alone significantly reduced body weight (WMD -1.59 kg, 95% CI -2.02 to -1.15), fat mass (WMD -0.93 kg, 95% CI -1.22 to -0.63), fat-free mass (WMD -0.58 kg, 95% CI -0.81 to -0.36), BMI (WMD -0.63 kg/m2, 95% CI -0.95 to -0.30), and waist circumference (WMD -2.11 cm, 95% CI -3.35 to -0.86) versus no restriction. TRE plus ER also reduced body weight (WMD -0.94 kg, 95% CI -1.58 to -0.31), fat mass (WMD -1.13 kg, 95% CI -1.50 to -0.75), fat-free mass (WMD -0.56 kg, 95% CI -0.81 to -0.31), BMI (WMD -0.42 kg/m2, 95% CI -0.78 to -0.07), and waist circumference (WMD -2.20 cm, 95% CI -2.64 to -1.75) versus ER alone. Fat mass percentage did not change significantly in either comparison.
Why it matters
This review shows that time-restricted eating produces modest weight and fat loss on its own, but offers little additional weight loss benefit when combined with conventional energy restriction.
Limits
The abstract does not report study durations, adherence rates, specific fasting window protocols, or baseline participant health profiles. Both interventions caused concurrent reductions in fat-free mass alongside fat loss, and long-term sustainability was not evaluated.
Cited by
- supports When people adopt time-restricted feeding in real life without laboratory constraints, they naturally reduce their caloric intake without counting calories.