Field Notes

Study: Time-Restricted Eating May Improve Health of Adults With Metabolic Syndrome

 It’s estimated that more than one-third of adults in the United States have metabolic syndrome, a grouping of medical conditions that can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Risk factors attributed to the syndrome include elevated blood sugar, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

In a recent collaborative clinical trial entitled TIMET, researchers from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and the Salk Institute found that a form of intermittent fasting, called time-restricted eating, could improve the health of participants diagnosed with metabolic syndrome and prediabetes.

The study, published online in the Annals of Internal Medicine, demonstrated significant improvements in key markers of cardiometabolic health, including blood sugar and cholesterol and lower levels of hemoglobin A1c, a marker of long-term blood sugar management.

“Metabolic syndrome, especially when paired with prediabetes, represents a critical tipping point in which the risk for developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease is greatly increased,” says Pam Taub, MD, cocorresponding author of the study and a professor of medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine. “We’re hopeful the findings of this study can help others who are looking to address their metabolic syndrome and reduce their risk for type 2 diabetes.”

The TIMET study is the first to evaluate the benefits of a customized time-restricted eating schedule in patients taking medication for metabolic syndrome.

In the trial, 108 adult patients of UC San Diego Health with metabolic syndrome were randomized into either a time-restricted eating group or a control group. Both groups continued to receive standard-of-care treatments and underwent nutritional counseling on the Mediterranean diet. All participants logged their meals using the myCircadianClock mobile app, developed at the Salk Institute, which was then reviewed by trial researchers.

For the time-restricted eating group, protocols were customized to each participant’s eating habits, sleep/wake schedules, and personal commitments. The resulting regimen had each person reduce their eating window to 10 hours per day, beginning at least one hour after waking up and ending at least three hours before going to sleep.

After three months, patients who had completed the time-restricted eating regimen showed significant improvements in key indicators of heart health. The reduction was similar in scale to what is typically achieved through more intensive interventions by the National Diabetes Prevention Program.

“Our bodies actually process sugars and fats very differently depending on the time of day,” explains Satchidananda Panda, PhD, cocorresponding author of the study and professor at the Salk Institute. “In time-restricted eating, we are reengaging the body’s natural wisdom and harnessing its daily circadian rhythms to restore metabolism and improve health.”

Circadian rhythms are the 24-hour cycles of biological processes that affect nearly every cell in the body. Erratic eating patterns can disrupt this system and induce symptoms of metabolic syndrome, including increased abdominal fat and abnormal cholesterol or triglycerides.

According to Panda, time-restricted eating (eating all calories within a consistent 10-hour window) allows individuals to eat in a manner that supports their circadian rhythms and their health.

Time-restricted eating was also associated with decreased body weight, BMI, and abdominal trunk fat, a type of fat closely linked to metabolic disease. Importantly, participants didn’t experience any significant loss of lean muscle mass, which is often a concern with weight loss.

The TIMET trial adds to a growing body of evidence supporting the use of time-restricted eating as a practical, low-cost intervention to improve cardiometabolic health. The promising results suggest that health care providers could consider recommending this lifestyle intervention to patients with metabolic syndrome as a complement to existing treatments, though additional long-term studies are needed to determine whether time-restricted eating can sustain these benefits and ultimately reduce the risk of chronic disease.

“There’s an urgent need for more effective treatment options that are accessible, affordable, and sustainable for the average American,” says Taub, a cardiologist and director of the Step Family Foundation Cardiovascular Rehabilitation and Wellness Center at UC San Diego Health. “Our research demonstrates that lifestyle interventions, such as time-restricted eating, can have a meaningful impact on the trajectory of a person’s overall health.”

— Source: UC San Diego Health

 

Survey Reveals Majority of Americans Believe Food Insecurity Among Children Should Be National Priority

GENYOUth, the national nonprofit committed to ensuring students thrive by living well-nourished and physically active lives, released the results of a national survey, “Youth Hunger and School Meals.” The findings reveal that more work needs to be done to address food insecurity among children. In fact, millions of Americans are in support of more state and federal resources and funding to help feed hungry children and to ensure all children have access to nutritious meals at school.

Food insecurity among children in the United States is a critical issue that affects millions of young lives—1 in 5 kids face hunger or are food insecure. For Black, Indigenous, and Hispanic youth, that number is even higher. Alarmingly, the number of children living in food-insecure households has increased by 45% since 2021, according to the USDA.

But what do most Americans think, and know, about food insecurity and children?

GENYOUth’s “Youth Hunger and School Meals Survey” of US adults revealed that Americans are all too familiar with food insecurity as an issue, but that there’s an information gap and a need for further awareness and education.

Close to 2 in 5, or more than 95 million Americans, know of at least one child who has been impacted by food insecurity. About 3 in 10, or nearly 80 million Americans, report that they participated in school meal programs when they were growing up. And more than 1 in 4, or close to 67 million Americans, say they personally faced food insecurity as a child.

Yet despite their experiences with food insecurity, the majority of Americans are still not clear on how many children it affects: 2 in 3 Americans (64%) aren’t aware of the reality that 1 in 5 US children currently live in food-insecure homes.

However, a majority of Americans do recognize the importance of school meals and support the idea of more state and federal resources and funding to help feed hungry children. Close to 3 in 5 Americans believe the finding that most US children get their healthiest meals at school. Older Americans are more likely than their younger peers to be aware that American children get their healthiest meals from school (63% of boomers and Gen X vs 49% of Gen Z and millennials). In fact, over half of all Americans (59%) agree that school meal programs are indeed the country’s largest safety net for food insecurity among school-aged children.

This is likely why 65% (or about 2 in 3 Americans) believe that more states need to offer free school meal programs to all children. And why 3 in 5 (60%) think that food insecurity among US children should be a national priority. (For reference: Currently nine US states offer Universal School Meals/Healthy Meals for All programs, regardless of household income, that provide free school meals to children, while another 28 states have it under consideration).

Hunger Has Profound Implications for a Child’s Health
“Now is the time to elevate the conversation and promote action," says GENYOUth CEO Ann Marie Krautheim, MA, RD, LD. "Addressing youth hunger isn't just about physical health—it’s about cognitive development, academic performance, and emotional well-being. To truly make a difference, we need a multifaceted approach that includes robust support for school meal programs from business, community, and government leaders, as well as local communities. This requires policy changes, increased awareness, funding support, and education at every level."

School meals offering milk, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean protein, are vital for advancing nutrition security and closing gaps by ensuring students get the nutrition they need to thrive. According to the USDA, children who participate in school meals consume more dairy, fruits, and vegetables and fewer desserts, snacks, and nonmilk beverages. "Nutrition security" stresses the need for both quality and quantity in food intake, highlighting the importance of consistent access to healthy options. Alternative approaches like Grab and Go, Breakfast in the Classroom, and Second Chance Breakfast have proven effective in increasing access to nutritious school meals.

"Many may not realize how many children live in food-insecure homes or depend on school meals, but awareness of child hunger is growing,” Krautheim says. She reminds us that 30 million US children rely on school meals, yet only 26% of Americans know this, leaving 190 million unaware of schools' vital role in feeding hungry children. In addition, a GENYOUth Insights Youth Eating Behaviors and Nutrition Literacy Survey reveals that one-third of youth (33%) worry about having enough to eat.

“GENYOUth’s mission is to help school children thrive by living well-nourished and active lives," Krautheim says. "As we ring the school bell to end student hunger, I’m inspired by the belief that together, we can ensure every child has access to the nutritious food they need to thrive. By engaging everyone—from businesses and government to local community leaders—we must raise our hands in support of and drive awareness for this crucial cause.”

To support GENYOUth’s work to end student hunger and for the full “Youth Hunger and School Meals” survey results, visit GENYOUthnow.org.

— Source: GENYOUth