Time-restricted feeding can increase food-related impulsivity: a randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Nutritional neuroscience pp. 1 - 9
• Main Authors: Güner, Elif, Aktaç, Şule
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 22-04-2024
• Subjects: neurosciences; feeding and eating disorders; feeding behavior; nutrition therapy; nutritional sciences; Impulsive behavior; fasting; diet
• ISSN: 1028-415X; 1476-8305
• DOI: 10.1080/1028415X.2024.2344139

Although an increasing number of studies show that time-restricted feeding may improve metabolic health, studies examining the behavioral effects of this eating pattern are limited. This study examined the effect of time-restricted feeding on impulsivity in adults.
Thirty adults aged 25-41 years participated in this randomized controlled trial. The intervention group followed time-restricted feeding for 4 weeks and there was no energy restriction in the intervention group (n = 15) or control group (n = 15). Impulsivity was assessed before and after the intervention with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale and the Go/NoGo task.
The compliance rate (the percentage of days when participants had a feeding time of ≤ 8 hours/day) of the intervention group to the time-restricted feeding pattern was 92.38 ± 4.24%. The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 total score of the intervention group increased from 55.53 ± 6.37 to 59.47 ± 7.67
During the Go/NoGo task, an indicator of inhibitory control, the reaction time to food and non-food stimuli was significantly shortened in the intervention group
In the control group, no significant change was detected in impulsivity determined by the BIS-11 or Go/NoGo task.
This study showed that although time-restricted feeding may reduce body weight, it can lead to increased impulsivity and impaired inhibitory control.
ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04960969.