People with excess weight who eat all their meals before 4 p.m. while cutting calories report feeling less hungry and less able to eat large amounts than those who eat the same calories over a longer window.
Evidence from Studies
No evidence studies found yet.
What Would Prove This
Per GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this claim, ordered from strongest to weakest.
Whether early TRE consistently improves appetite control (desire to eat, hunger, satiety) compared to other eating patterns across diverse populations.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 15 RCTs (n≥1,000 total) comparing early TRE (≤10 h window ending by 16:00) with ER or late TRE in adults with overweight/obesity, measuring appetite via validated VAS or ad libitum food intake as primary outcomes.
Whether early TRE reduces spontaneous food intake and hunger sensations independent of weight loss.
A double-blind, crossover RCT with 50 adults (BMI 28–34) randomized to 8 weeks of early TRE (8:00–16:00) vs. late TRE (12:00–20:00), with identical calorie intake and weight loss matched via caloric adjustment, measuring daily VAS appetite scores and ad libitum buffet intake at endpoint.
Whether habitual early eating predicts lower daily hunger and higher satiety over time in adults with obesity.
A 2-year prospective cohort of 1,000 adults with obesity tracking daily eating windows via app logs and completing daily VAS appetite surveys, adjusting for weight change, sleep, and stress.
Whether individuals with greater appetite suppression after early TRE show altered ghrelin or peptide YY dynamics during fasting and post-meal periods.
A case-control study comparing 30 participants with >20% reduction in desire to eat and 30 with <5% reduction after early TRE, measuring fasting and postprandial ghrelin and PYY over 24 h via serial blood sampling.
Whether adults who habitually eat earlier report lower hunger and higher satiety than those who eat later, matched for BMI and calorie intake.
A cross-sectional survey of 1,200 adults (BMI 25–35) using 7-day food logs and actigraphy to classify eating timing, measuring daily VAS appetite scores, adjusting for BMI, sleep, and physical activity.