Researchers find efficient way to lose weight

A new study has found an efficient way to lose weight. The study, published in JAMA International Medicine and conducted by researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, found that one of the most efficient methods for losing weight is Early Time Restricted Eating (eTRE), a method that restricts people’s food intake during certain hours of the day day.

The clinical study was randomized and conducted on 90 subjects living in the United States and suffering from obesity. All participants were between 25 and 75 years old, with the majority being women. It was carried out in the years 2018 to 2020.

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The study found that participants who restricted their eating to the hours of 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. lost about 5 pounds more compared to other participants. These participants also had lower blood pressure, with the researchers concluding that the technique likely helped treat high blood pressure and obesity.

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While only consuming food between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. may sound extreme, this technique is nothing new and is commonly referred to as intermittent fasting. Researchers claimed that when participants stuck to this schedule 5 days a week, they still reported benefits.

Still, the researchers claim that the study was limited in scope, especially since it was only conducted on people with obesity. “Our study has some limitations, including its modest duration, enrolling mostly women, and not reaching our intended sample size, in part due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” they wrote.

They plan to expand the study to include a broader range of people and develop a clearer picture of intermittent fasting.

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Aside from helping people lose weight, the practice helped treat subjects’ fatigue and depression, and made them feel more energetic. Although no one should make abrupt changes to their diet based on one study, the evidence adds up to a large body of work highlighting the strengths of intermittent fasting and eating meals at the right time.