Time-restricted eating (TRE) has gained attention as a promising dietary strategy for enhancing body composition and metabolic health. This innovative eating pattern involves confining daily food intake to a specific window, typically spanning 6-10 hours. Given the lack of consensus on the optimal TRE strategy, this research explores whether tailoring eating windows to individual chronotypes enhances TRE outcomes. This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effects of chronotype-matched versus chronotype-unmatched TRE protocols, compared to a control group, over a 12-week period on visceral fat mass and other metabolic health outcomes in physically inactive adults with central obesity. Additionally, the study seeks to determine whether chronotype-matched TRE offers greater benefits in terms of visceral fat reduction and metabolic improvements compared to chronotype-unmatched TRE. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, and after the 12-week intervention.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
90
A 12 weeks time-restricted eating intervention that match participants' chronotype
A 12 weeks time-restricted eating intervention that not match participants' chronotype
Department of Sports Science and Physical Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong, China
Visceral fat mass
Visceral fat mass will be assessed using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Time frame: 12 weeks
Subcutaneous fat mass
Subcutaneous fat mass will be assessed using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Time frame: 12 weeks
Body weight
Body weight (kg) will be measured by a bioelectrical impedance analyzer (BIA) with minimum clothing.
Time frame: 12 weeks
Body mass index (BMI)
BMI (kg/m2) will be calculated using body weight (kg) and height (m)
Time frame: 12 weeks
Body composition (Fat mass, fat free mass)
Body composition including fat mass and fat-free mass (kg) will be measured by bioelectrical impedance analyzer (BIA) with minimum clothing.
Time frame: 12 weeks
Anthropometric measures
Waist and hip circumferences (cm) will be assessed by standard procedures using a tension tape accurate to 0.1 cm. The waist-hip ratio will be calculated accordingly.
Time frame: 12 weeks
Fasting glucose metabolism
Fasting blood samples will be used to analyze biomarkers of glucose metabolism, including fasting glucose (mmol/L), fasting insulin (mU/L), HbA1c (mmol/mol), as well as derived indices (HOMA-IR) calculated from fasting glucose and insulin levels.
Time frame: 12 weeks
Fasting lipid metabolism
Fasting blood samples will be used to analyze different biomarkers of lipid metabolism including triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (mmol/L)
Time frame: 12 weeks
Dietary patterns
Dietary pattern including eating window and dietary intake will be assessed using a seven-day food record
Time frame: 12 weeks
Subjective sleep quality
Subjective sleep quality will be assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)
Time frame: 12 weeks
Objectively sleep quality
Objectively sleep quality will be assessed by accelerometer
Time frame: 12 weeks
Subjective quality of life
Quality of life will be assessed through questionnaires (WHOQOL-BREF)
Time frame: 12 weeks
Appetite
Appetite will be measured by visual analog scale (VAS).
Time frame: 12 weeks
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