Time-restricted Feeding Improves Basal Fat Oxidation and Body Composition But Not Fat Oxidation During Exercise

Time-restricted feeding is one of the IF models with significant advantages beyond other IF models, such as simplicity and flexibility, where individuals limit their eating window to specific hours of the day, with a fasting period of at least 12 hours. Ample evidence in humans suggests that prolonged daily cycles of feeding and fasting when aligned with the circadian rhythm, as in the TRF regimen, can alleviate metabolic diseases. Furthermore, research supports a range of health benefits associated with TRF programs in diverse populations, including improvements in body composition and insulin sensitivity, appetite regulation, and achieving a more balanced hunger sensation. Moreover, adopting a 6-hour eating window followed by an 18-hour fasting period can elicit a metabolic shift from relying on glucose to utilizing ketones for energy, which is associated with extended lifespan and a reduced risk of various diseases including type 2 diabetes and obesity. This study aimed to determine the effect of a 6-week TRF on resting and exercise substrate oxidation and changes in blood markers linked to cardiometabolic health.