Acute effects of time-restricted feeding in low-income women with obesity placed on hypoenergetic diets: Randomized trial

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute effects of time-restricted feeding in obese women living in social vulnerability who were placed on diets with the same energy deficit. Methods: Fifty-eight obese women (19-44 y of age) were randomized to a group with a hypoenergetic diet and 12 h of fasting daily or to a group with only a hypoenergetic diet for 21 d, with body weight and waist circumference monitoring up to 81 d of intervention. The determination of the individual's energy content of the diets was based on their resting metabolic rate (by indirect calorimetry) and physical activity level (by tri-axial accelerometers). Body composition, temperature, blood pressure, appetite, adhesion difficulty, thyroid axis hormones, leptin, glucose concentration, and insulin were measured before and after 21 d of intervention. A mixed analysis of variance test was performed. Results: The women had a mean age of 31 y and mean body mass index of 33 kg/m(2). Significant interaction between group x time was observed only in axillary temperature (0.44 degrees C; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.17-0.74 degrees C; P < 0.01), which increased in the experimental group and in body fat (-0.75%; 95% CI,-1.43% to-0.07%; P = 0.02) decreased in the experimental group. Also, there was a significant decrease in waist circumference in the time-restricted feeding group after 81 d. There were no differences in hormonal profile, resting metabolic rate, reported appetite, or adherence difficulty. Conclusion: Time-restricted feeding may be considered an alternative strategy for treating obesity in socially vulnerable women. (C) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.