Time-restricted eating may ease symptoms for overweight people with Crohn's

A randomized trial from UBC Okanagan and the University of Calgary found that a 16-hour daily fasting window was associated with lower BMI, reduced visceral fat and fewer symptoms in overweight people with Crohn's disease; the authors say more research is needed.

A new randomized trial led by researchers at UBC Okanagan and the University of Calgary tested daily time-restricted eating in people with Crohn's disease who were overweight. Participants followed a 16-hour fasting period and ate their usual diet during an eight-hour window. The study, reported in Gastroenterology, aimed to see whether changing when people eat — without changing what they eat — could affect weight, visceral fat, inflammation and symptoms. Key findings: - Participants assigned to the 16-hour fast showed a measurable decrease in body mass index compared with the non-fasting group. - Those who fasted reported symptom improvements, including about a 40% drop in stool frequency and a 50% reduction in abdominal discomfort as reported in the study. - In the fasting group, visceral fat and markers released from fat tissue shifted in directions the authors described as consistent with improved metabolic and inflammatory profiles. - These changes occurred despite the groups consuming similar daily calories and comparable foods; the reported difference was timing of eating rather than diet composition. Summary: The study reports that time-restricted eating was linked with weight loss, reduced visceral fat and fewer bowel symptoms for overweight people living with Crohn's disease, and the authors noted it is not a cure and would not replace medication. Further research and replication of these results are reported as needed to confirm the findings and clarify longer-term effects.