Restricted eating hours may reduce cognitive decline in older age, researchers find
A small clinical trial found that older people who avoided food four hours before bed did better in problem-solving tests. Confining mealtimes and snacks to a nine-hour window may help stave off cognitive decline in older age.
Intelligence analysis by Llama
A pilot study of older women found hints of improvement in mental skills among those who ate within a restricted period compared with those who spread their meals over a longer time. The finding is preliminary, but if confirmed, it suggests people could help protect their cognitive abilities by eating within a narrow window and not eating late into the night.
Imagine you have a special clock inside your body that tells you when to eat and when to sleep. Eating too close to bedtime can make it harder for your brain to work well. A study found that people who ate only during a certain time of the day did better on tests that check how well their brain is working. This might be because eating too close to bedtime can make it harder for your brain to work well.
Analysis
A New Approach to Cognitive Health
A small clinical trial run by academics at Rutgers University in New Jersey found 'additional benefits' beyond weight loss to restricted eating. The study involved 47 women aged 50 to 79, who were living with overweight or obesity, and were encouraged to cut 500 calories from their daily diet for six months. Within the group, 26 were advised to eat only within a nine-hour window, typically between 10am and 6pm. The results showed that those who confined their eating to the narrow window performed better than the others on spatial planning and problem-solving tests. There were also hints that they made fewer errors on memory and learning tests, though on some multitasking and reaction time tests both groups performed the same.
The benefits of time-restricted eating may be driven by a complex interplay of circadian rhythms, metabolism, and inflammation. In many countries, the UK and US included, it is common to eat over a 14-hour period, leaving only 10 hours overnight without food. But research points to clear health benefits from extending overnight fasting. A review published in January found that finishing eating before 7pm was associated with significant improvements in body weight, BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, and markers of metabolic health.
Prof Wendy Hall, the head of nutritional sciences at King's College London, who was not involved in the study, said confining mealtimes to a narrow window may have benefits for the brain. 'Time-restricted eating is a plausible approach to supporting cognitive health in midlife and older adults with overweight, not only because it may help with weight management but also because avoiding large meals late in the evening may improve blood sugar control, vascular function, and inflammation,' she said.
The findings are preliminary, and it is essential to see the full peer-reviewed study to determine whether any improvements were clinically meaningful. However, if confirmed, this study suggests that people could help protect their cognitive abilities by eating within a narrow window and not eating late into the night.
Key points
- A small clinical trial found that older people who avoided food four hours before bed did better in problem-solving tests.
- Confining mealtimes and snacks to a nine-hour window may help stave off cognitive decline in older age.
- The benefits of time-restricted eating may be driven by a complex interplay of circadian rhythms, metabolism, and inflammation.
- A review published in January found that finishing eating before 7pm was associated with significant improvements in body weight, BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, and markers of metabolic health.
If confirmed, this study suggests that people could help protect their cognitive abilities by eating within a narrow window and not eating late into the night. This could be a simple and effective way to support cognitive health in midlife and older adults with overweight.
The findings are preliminary, and it is essential to see the full peer-reviewed study to determine whether any improvements were clinically meaningful. If the results are not replicated in larger studies, it may be that time-restricted eating has no significant benefits for cognitive health.
