Time-Restricted Eating and Sarcopenia Severity in Chinese Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study Stratified by Nutritional Status

Background Time-restricted eating (TRE) is gaining attention for improving metabolic health, but its impact on muscle health in older adults remains unclear. Concerns include the risks of inadequate energy and protein intake within a shortened eating window and age-related anabolic resistance. Nutritional status, being closely tied to muscle health, may influence the association between TRE and sarcopenia, yet research in Chinese older adults is limited. Aim This study aimed to explore the association between TRE and sarcopenia severity in Chinese community-dwelling older adults and examine whether nutritional status modifies this relationship. Methods A cross-sectional study of 3,680 Chinese older adults (≥ 60 years) from Shanghai was conducted. TRE was defined as an eating window of ≤ 10 hours, determined via questionnaire. Sarcopenia severity was classified using the 2019 Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia criteria. Nutritional status was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment and grouped as well-nourished or at risk of malnutrition. Multinomial logistic regression was used to evaluate relationships. Results Of the participants, 509 (13.8%) followed TRE. TRE was associated with higher odds of severe sarcopenia (OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.16–2.63, P = 0.008) but showed no significant associations with pre-sarcopenia or sarcopenia. Stratified analysis showed this association was significant in well-nourished individuals (OR = 1.92, 95% CI = 1.17–3.14, P = 0.010) but not in those at risk of malnutrition (OR = 1.83, 95% CI = 0.81–4.12, P = 0.145). Conclusion TRE within a 10-hour eating window was linked to higher odds of severe sarcopenia, particularly in well-nourished older adults. These findings highlight the need to consider nutritional status when evaluating TRE's implications for muscle health in aging populations.