# Time-restricted eating in overweight and obese adults: an evidence summary and clinical recommendations

## TL;DR

This paper reviews evidence on time-restricted eating for weight management in overweight and obese adults and offers clinical recommendations.

## Contribution

It provides a structured evidence summary and practical clinical recommendations for TRE application.

## Key findings

- TRE can induce significant weight loss and improve cardiometabolic parameters in the short to medium term.
- Key factors like eating window protocols and adherence influence outcomes.
- The review identifies 39 key evidence points across six domains.

## Abstract

This systematic review aims to synthesize the current evidence and develop evidence-based recommendations regarding time-restricted eating (TRE) for weight management in adults with overweight and obesity, addressing a gap in specific clinical guidelines.

We conducted a systematic search of nine databases and six websites for relevant literature up to September 2024. Included studies comprised randomized controlled trials (RCTs), clinical guidelines, expert consensus statements, and systematic reviews focusing on TRE in the target population. Two reviewers independently performed study selection, data extraction, and methodological quality assessment using standardized tools (e.g., AMSTAR 2, AGREE II, JBI checklists). Evidence was synthesized thematically, and recommendations were graded using the JBI framework.

The search identified 5535 records. After screening, 25 articles were included: five guidelines, three expert consensuses, eight systematic reviews, and nine RCTs. The synthesis yielded 39 key evidence points across six domains: applicable populations, intervention protocols, dietary considerations, psychological and sleep effects, efficacy, and safety. The synthesized evidence suggests that TRE can induce significant weight loss and improve cardiometabolic parameters (e.g., blood glucose and lipid profiles) in the short to medium term. While heterogeneity exists across individual studies, this review identifies key factors (e.g., eating window protocols, adherence) that may influence outcomes and provides a framework for clinical decision-making.

TRE represents a promising dietary intervention for adults with overweight and obesity. This review provides a structured evidence summary and practical recommendations to guide its clinical application. Future research should focus on the long-term efficacy, sustainability, and impact of TRE on hard clinical endpoints.

Level I, systematic review.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41043-025-01221-6.