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Review
. 2025 Feb 3;14(1):17.
doi: 10.1007/s13679-025-00609-z.

Time Restricted Eating: A Valuable Alternative to Calorie Restriction for Addressing Obesity?

Maria Eugenia Parrotta  1 , Luca Colangeli  1   2 , Valeria Scipione  1 , Carolina Vitale  1 , Paolo Sbraccia  1   2 , Valeria Guglielmi  3   4
Affiliations
Review

Time Restricted Eating: A Valuable Alternative to Calorie Restriction for Addressing Obesity?

Maria Eugenia Parrotta et al. Curr Obes Rep. .

Abstract

Purpose of review: In this review, we summarize the molecular effects of time-restricted eating (TRE) and its possible role in appetite regulation. We also discuss the potential clinical benefits of TRE in obesity.

Recent findings: TRE is an emerging dietary approach consisting in limiting food intake to a specific window of time each day. The rationale behind this strategy is to restore the circadian misalignment, commonly seen in obesity. Preclinical studies have shown that restricting food intake only during the active phase of the day can positively influence several cellular functions including senescence, mitochondrial activity, inflammation, autophagy and nutrients' sensing pathways. Furthermore, TRE may play a role by modulating appetite and satiety hormones, though further research is needed to clarify its exact mechanisms. Clinical trials involving patients with obesity or type 2 diabetes suggest that TRE can be effective for weight loss, but its broader effects on improving other clinical outcomes, such as cardiovascular risk factors, remain less certain. The epidemic proportions of obesity cause urgency to find dietary, pharmacological and surgical interventions that can be effective in the medium and long term. According to its molecular effects, TRE can be an interesting alternative to caloric restriction in the treatment of obesity, but the considerable variability across clinical trials regarding population, intervention, and follow-up duration makes it difficult to reach definitive conclusions.

Keywords: Appetite; Biological clock; Circadian rhythm; Obesity; Time restricted eating.

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Conflict of interest statement

Compliance with Ethical Standards. Institutional Review Board Statement: Not applicable. Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent: This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors. Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Fasting-feeding cycle affects several cellular mechanisms and influences gut microbiota. Abbreviations: ER, endoplasmic reticulum; ROS: reactive oxygen species; SCFAs: short chain fatty acids
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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