The first human test of this type of study was conducted, finding that there is a connection between the strategy of meal timing and people's capacity to burn fat, along with reduced swings in hunger. The study found that these two key factors of weight loss can be enhanced through the eating habits.
The results of this early study were presented at The Obesity Society Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, Nov. 3. According to the study, eating within a smaller time frame of the day can be associated with a boost in people's capacity to lose weight due to the increase in the body's ability to consume proteins and burn fats.
The study was conducted at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, and its lead author, Courtney Peterson, Ph.D., explained the connection between the time of the meals and the results of the diet.
Meal Planning Could Significantly Boost Fat-Burning Results
"We found that eating between 8am and 2pm followed by an 18-hour daily fast burned more fat and kept appetite levels more even throughout the day, in comparison to eating between 8am and 8pm, which is average for Americans," she stated.
According to this new research, a very early dinner or even skipping it, assuming that people would be willing to do something more drastic, could improve our internal clock and enhance the metabolism to function within its optimal parameters. The research, funded by a TOS Early Career Research Grant awarded in 2014, also stated that metabolism works best in the morning, which would make the first part of the day the best period for our calorie intake.
Aside from the weight loss benefits, there are health advantages associated with eating within this program, as every metabolism, even the fat ones, is more active in the morning. Corroborating the data, people eating in the first parts of the day could significantly lower the risks of developing chronic diseases, assuming that the results found in rodents would apply to people as well.
The preliminary results of the study seem to suggest in people the same patterns observed in rodents. Although more research would have to be carried out in order to better establish the relation between the two different organisms' responses, the timing of eating is clearly an essential factor in losing weight.
Additional research will be carried out in order to complete the picture of this method, which could further be used in combating obesity rates and improving the dietary habits of people who wish to lose weight.
Managing Obesity In The US
As more than 31 million Americans skip breakfast each day, should this study be confirmed, it would imply that a significant part of the U.S. population should reorganize their eating habits. As the obesity rates increase by the year, consistent education could be promoted through the means of studies suggesting better eating and dietary habits.
