An eating window that is 11 to 12 hours long could help people lead a longer life, compared to shorter or longer periods, according to a new study.
Researchers set out to explore the link between the duration of eating windows and death from various causes, looking at data from U.S. adults.
For those whose eating window was between 11 and 12 hours, there was the lowest risk. People with shorter eating windows (less than 8 hours) and those with longer windows (more than 15 hours) were linked to higher mortality rates.
- Intermittent Fasting: Guide to Fasting and How it Works
- 5:2 Fasting Diet
- Time Restricted Eating: Beginner’s Guide
The study authors noted that the link seen with the longer eating window was less significant after adjusting for lifestyle and health factors.
Limiting eating to certain hours of the day is a concept that has become increasingly popular. Research has demonstrated that eating windows can help cardiometabolic heath by improving glucose and lipid levels, increasing ketone production and reducing oxidative stress.
However, much of the evidence comes from either animal studies or human studies conducted over a short period of time, which makes it difficult to determine the long-term effects on life span. In addition, previous research has tended to involve specific groups, such as people with obesity or diabetes, which also restricts how widely the findings can be applied.
Previous studies have found that older adults commonly start eating earlier in the day and have shorter eating windows, particularly among women and Black individuals.
Past research has indicated that shorter eating windows results in fewer nutrients being consumed and not enough energy intake. Conversely, longer eating windows have been linked with disrupted sleep and late-night eating which affects glucose tolerance and lipid metabolism.
In this latest research, data from 2003 to 2019 was examined, comprising just over 33,000 adults who were followed for a median of 8.1 years. Just over 4,100 deaths were seen, including 1,277 from cardiovascular disease and 989 from cancer.
Researchers described a ‘U-shaped’ link becoming apparent between eating windows and all-cause mortality.
- Study finds men and women follow Mediterranean diet in different ways
- Mediterranean diet supports weight loss but falls short on memory gains in older adults
- Autoimmune disorders improved by a Mediterranean diet
The authors concluded: “Moderate eating windows (~11–12 h/day) are linked to the lowest mortality risk, with deviations associated with higher risk.
“However, we observed differing relationships between eating window and mortality across population subgroups, emphasising the complexity of dietary timing and the need to account for individual and demographic differences when developing dietary recommendations.
“Further studies…are essential to confirm these findings, uncover underlying mechanisms, and inform evidence-based public health guidelines.”
Read more in Aging Cell
