When people eat earlier, their bodies burn slightly more calories digesting food after lunch and dinner, but their resting calorie burn stays the same.
Scientific Claim
Early time-restricted feeding increases thermic effect of food (TEF) by 2.4% absolute increase following meals in overweight adults, primarily after lunch and dinner, but does not alter resting energy expenditure.
Original Statement
“eTRF increased TEF following the second (p=0.0008) and third meals of the day (p<0.0001) but not the first meal (p=0.93), translating into a Δ=2.4±0.7% absolute increase in mean TEF values (p=0.003) or a Δ=0.061±0.011 kcal/min increase in postprandial energy expenditure (p=0.0003). In contrast, resting energy expenditure (p=0.57) was unaffected.”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
definitive
Can make definitive causal claims
Assessment Explanation
Direct calorimetry under controlled feeding allows definitive causal claims for TEF changes. The effect is specific to postprandial periods and statistically robust.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (0)
Contradicting (1)
Early Time-Restricted Feeding Reduces Appetite and Increases Fat Oxidation but Does Not Affect Energy Expenditure in Humans
The study found that eating earlier in the day didn’t make people burn more calories overall, even after meals, so it doesn’t support the claim that it boosts calorie burning after lunch and dinner.