Time to Eat - A Personalized Circadian Eating Schedule Leads to Weight Loss Without Calorie Restriction: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective

Many weight loss strategies are based on the restriction of calories or certain foods. Here, we tested a weight loss intervention based solely on increasing the regularity of meals, presuming that this allows the circadian system to optimally prepare the food metabolism for these times.

Participants & Methods

In a two-group, single center randomized-controlled single-blind pilot study (pre-registration DRKS00021419) with participants aged 18-65 years and BMI ≥ 22 kg/m², we used a smartphone application to identify the times at which each participant eats particularly frequently and asked participants of the experimental group to restrict their meals to only these times for six weeks. Control participants received sham treatment. Primary outcome was self-reported body weight/BMI and secondary outcome the well-being of participants.

Results

Of 148 participants entering the pilot study, 121 were randomized and of these 100 (control: 33, experimental: 67) finished the study. Our results show that the more regular the meals of participants of the experimental group became, the more weight/BMI they lost, averaging 2.62 kg (0.87 kg/m²); p < 0.0001 (BMI: p < 0.0001) compared to an insignificant weight loss of 0.56 kg (0.20 kg/m²) in the control group; p = 0.0918 (BMI: p = 0.0658). Strikingly, weight loss was not related to changes in self-reported calories, food composition, and other food-related factors. Additionally, physical and mental well-being improved significantly.

Conclusion

In summary, increasing the regularity of meals causes participants to lose excess body weight and improves overall well-being.

Highlights

• Individual optimal times for meals are determined via an app-based meal diary.

• Generation of a structure plan for mealtimes are adjusted to individual circadian clocks.

• Following this plan, participants lost an average body weight of 2.6 kg over six weeks.

• Weight loss is achieved without changes in self-reported food quantity or composition.

• Regular mealtimes contribute to the improvement of the general well-being.