If you're an adult with extra weight, eating only during certain hours each day—like an 8-hour window—can help you lose about 2% of your body weight and improve your overall body shape, including smaller waist and less body fat.

What we've found so far suggests that time-restricted eating may help adults with overweight or obesity lose weight and improve body composition. Our analysis of the available research shows the evidence leans toward benefits from limiting food intake to certain hours each day. We analyzed 39.0 studies and found all of them support the idea that eating within a set window—such as 8 hours—can lead to modest weight loss and improvements in body shape [1]. Specifically, adults with extra weight may lose around 2% of their body weight when following this pattern. We also saw evidence of reduced waist size and lower body fat [1]. These changes matter because they relate to overall health and how the body stores fat. Our current analysis does not include any studies that refute these findings—zero studies showed no effect or harm [1]. Still, we recognize this is what we’ve found so far, not a final answer. Science evolves, and our understanding will deepen as more research becomes available. We don’t know yet how time-restricted eating compares to other eating patterns in the long term, or whether the results hold for everyone. What we can say is that the evidence we’ve reviewed leans toward benefit for some people. Practical takeaway: If you have extra weight and want to try eating within a set time each day—like finishing meals in an 8-hour window—it might help you lose a small amount of weight and improve your body composition. It’s not a magic fix, but it could be one approach worth considering.