The post title is a copy and paste from the title, second and fifth paragraphs of the linked popular press article here:
Eating at certain times of the day may help weight loss
Fasting from time to time or eating earlier in the day may help people lower their body mass by reducing their appetite, according to research published Wednesday in Obesity.
This gauges the ability to shift from burning carbohydrates for energy to burning fat for energy.
Journal Reference:
Eric Ravussin, Robbie A. Beyl, Eleonora Poggiogalle, Daniel S. Hsia, Courtney M. Peterson.
Early Time‐Restricted Feeding Reduces Appetite and Increases Fat Oxidation But Does Not Affect Energy Expenditure in Humans.
Obesity, 2019; 27 (8): 1244
Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/oby.22518
DOI: 10.1002/oby.22518
Abstract
Objective
Eating earlier in the daytime to align with circadian rhythms in metabolism enhances weight loss. However, it is unknown whether these benefits are mediated through increased energy expenditure or decreased food intake. Therefore, this study performed the first randomized trial to determine how meal timing affects 24‐hour energy metabolism when food intake and meal frequency are matched.
Methods
Eleven adults with overweight practiced both early time‐restricted feeding (eTRF) (eating from 8 am to 2 pm) and a control schedule (eating from 8 am to 8 pm) for 4 days each. On the fourth day, 24‐hour energy expenditure and substrate oxidation were measured by whole‐room indirect calorimetry, in conjunction with appetite and metabolic hormones.
Results
eTRF did not affect 24‐hour energy expenditure (Δ = 10 ± 16 kcal/d; P = 0.55). Despite the longer daily fast (intermittent fasting), eTRF decreased mean ghrelin levels by 32 ± 10 pg/mL (P = 0.006), made hunger more even‐keeled (P = 0.006), and tended to increase fullness (P = 0.06‐0.10) and decrease the desire to eat (P = 0.08). eTRF also increased metabolic flexibility (P = 0.0006) and decreased the 24‐hour nonprotein respiratory quotient (Δ = −0.021 ± 0.010; P = 0.05).
Conclusions
Meal‐timing interventions facilitate weight loss primarily by decreasing appetite rather than by increasing energy expenditure. eTRF may also increase fat loss by increasing fat oxidation.