While time-restricted eating is gaining popularity for weight management and health improvement, a study casts doubt on its effectiveness. The study of over 20,000 adults found that those who practice “time-restricted eating” (8 hours) had a one-third higher risk of heart disease than those who practiced “normal” timings (12–16 hours).
Time-restricted eating, including popular 16:9 studies, improved blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol in the short term, but this study found long-term risk, especially for cancer patients and those with heart disease.
The findings emphasize the necessity for individualized dietary recommendations based on health and science. You should discuss major dietary changes with your doctor first.
The research is preliminary; therefore, further work is needed to understand the mechanisms and consider intervening circumstances. Nutrition, age, baseline health state, and lifestyle factors may explain the observed relationships.
Finally, while time-restricted diets may help with weight loss and metabolic markers in the short term, we need to study their long-term effects, especially on cardiovascular health, and conduct ongoing studies. Patients and healthcare providers should collaborate to create dietary regimens that incorporate patients’ overall health and well-being as well as their specific needs and risk factors.
