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Time-Restricted Feeding and Human Health
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Time-Restricted Feeding and Human Health

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutritional Epidemiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 May 2025) | Viewed by 13344

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Han Shi Jocelyn Chew

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
Interests: time-restricted feeding (TRF); circadian rhythms; metabolic health; intermittent fasting; obesity; chronic disease prevention; weight management; human nutrition; chrononutrition; aging and longevity

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Time-restricted feeding (TRF) has emerged as a promising approach to improving metabolic health and longevity, with growing evidence suggesting that the timing of food intake plays a pivotal role in regulating biological processes. This Special Issue seeks to explore the intersection between TRF and human health, focusing on its effects across a range of physiological systems, including metabolic function, circadian rhythms, weight management, and the prevention of chronic disease.

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide a comprehensive overview of current research, examining the underlying mechanisms through which TRF influences human health, as well as the potential clinical applications and public health implications of this dietary strategy. We welcome original research, reviews, and meta-analyses that explore the benefits and challenges associated with TRF in diverse populations, including those with obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and aging.

This field holds the potential to significantly improve public health, particularly as the prevalence of metabolic diseases continues to rise. As such, this Special Issue will highlight novel findings, methodological advances, and the translation of TRF interventions into clinical practice. We invite researchers to contribute to this dynamic and rapidly growing area of study, shaping the future of nutritional strategies for the promotion of health and well-being.

Dr. Han Shi Jocelyn Chew
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • time-restricted feeding (TRF)
  • circadian rhythms
  • metabolic health
  • intermittent fasting
  • obesity
  • chronic disease prevention
  • weight management
  • human nutrition
  • chrononutrition
  • aging and longevity
  • cardiometabolic health
  • intermittent fasting
  • circadian rhythms
  • health behavior change
  • digital health
  • artificial intelligence

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 659 KB  
Article
Associations Between Eating Windows and Health Outcomes in Children and Adolescents from the ALSPAC Cohort
by Jill Townley, Sam Leary, Julian Hamilton-Shield, Melanie de Lange, Elanor C. Hinton and Kate Northstone
Nutrients 2025, 17(17), 2856; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17172856 - 3 Sep 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1375
Abstract
Background: Time-limited eating (TLE) improves body weight and metabolic health in adults; however, little is known about effects in younger populations (YP). TLE in adolescents can reduce calorie consumption, but studies have not demonstrated superior weight loss compared to other dietary practices. Minimal [...] Read more.
Background: Time-limited eating (TLE) improves body weight and metabolic health in adults; however, little is known about effects in younger populations (YP). TLE in adolescents can reduce calorie consumption, but studies have not demonstrated superior weight loss compared to other dietary practices. Minimal research exists into associations between eating window (EW) in YP and health outcomes. Methods: Three-day diet diaries (ages 7, 13 years) collected in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) were used to calculate EW. Height, weight, body composition, blood pressure, and fasting bloods were recorded during clinic visits at ages 7, 13, and 24. Linear or logistic regression models were used to analyse cross-sectional and longitudinal associations, accounting for potential confounders. Results: Mean EW was 10.9 h (standard deviation 1.1) and 11.1 h (1.8) at ages 7 and 13, respectively. At age 7 (N = 4799), a longer EW was positively associated with body mass index z-score (BMIz) (beta coefficient (β) 0.04 (95% confidence interval 0.01, 0.07) p = 0.01), whilst at age 13 (N = 4712) a longer EW showed inverse associations with BMIz (β −0.026 (−0.046, −0.006) p = 0.01), waist to height ratio (WtHR) (β −0.001 (−0.002, −0.000) p = 0.005), waist circumference (WC) (cm) (β −0.211 (−0.370, −0.053) p = 0.009), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (mmHg) (β −0.132 (−0.254, −0.009) p = 0.04), and fat mass (FM) (%) (β −0.447 (−0.607, −0.286) p < 0.001). Longitudinally, a longer EW at age 13 (N = 2534) was inversely associated with FM (%) at age 24 (β −0.307 (−0.487, −0.127) p < 0.001). Conclusions: A longer EW in adolescence was associated cross-sectionally with lower BMIz, WtHR, WC, DBP, and FM and longitudinally with lower FM at age 24, albeit with small effect sizes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Time-Restricted Feeding and Human Health)
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Review

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22 pages, 4863 KB  
Review
The Effectiveness of Time-Restricted Eating as an Intermittent Fasting Approach on Shift Workers’ Glucose Metabolism: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Jia Ying Jennell Koh, Celine Yu Han Tan, Meng Li, Mei Hui Liu and Han Shi Jocelyn Chew
Nutrients 2025, 17(10), 1689; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17101689 - 15 May 2025
Viewed by 11409
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Shift workers face higher risks of impaired glucose metabolism due to irregular eating habits and circadian misalignment. Time-restricted eating (TRE) could improve glucose metabolism by aligning food intake with the circadian clock, but its effectiveness remains unclear. Methods: Ten electronic [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Shift workers face higher risks of impaired glucose metabolism due to irregular eating habits and circadian misalignment. Time-restricted eating (TRE) could improve glucose metabolism by aligning food intake with the circadian clock, but its effectiveness remains unclear. Methods: Ten electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, Science.gov, and ClinicalTrials.gov) were searched from journal inception to September 2024. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving shift workers were included. Meta-analyses with sensitivity analyses were conducted using a random-effects model to pool glucose metabolism and sleep outcomes, with heterogeneity and quality assessments performed. Results: Six RCTs were included. TRE demonstrated positive but non-significant effects on glucose metabolism outcomes: fasting blood glucose (weighted mean difference [WMD]: −0.02 mmol/L, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.13 to 0.10, I2 = 0%), fasting blood insulin (WMD: −5.77 pmol/L, 95% CI: −85.62 to 74.08, I2 = 92%), HOMA-IR (WMD: −0.50, 95% CI: −2.76 to 1.76, I2 = 82%), 2 h postprandial glucose (WMD: −0.65 mmol/L, 95% CI: −3.18 to 1.89, I2 = 86%), total sleep time (g = 0.07, 95% CI: −0.23 to 0.37, I2 = 0%), and sleep efficiency (g = −0.05, 95% CI: −0.63 to 0.53, I2 = 62%). Sensitivity analyses yielded similar findings, and overall certainty of evidence was rated ‘very low’. Conclusions: While TRE shows potential for improving the glucose metabolism in shift workers, current evidence remains inconclusive due to small sample sizes and study limitations. Future research should prioritize well-powered TRE RCTs in shift workers that adhere to a 6–10 h eating window. Incorporating early-TRE schedules with sleep hygiene may optimize metabolic outcomes, with circadian biomarkers analyzed to better elucidate the mechanistic pathway implicated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Time-Restricted Feeding and Human Health)
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