EVALUATING THE EFFECT OF MEAL TIME IN CALORIE-RESTRICTED DIET ON WEIGHT LOSS IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE INDIVIDUALS

Background and Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of mealtime in the calorie-restricted diet on weight loss in overweight and obese individuals.Methods: This study was a controlled clinical trial conducted on 100 employees of Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences with body mass index (BMI) > 25 and age between 30-60 years. All of the participants followed a weight loss diet for two weeks without any limitation of feeding time. Then, they were divided into intervention (last meal or snack before18:00 h) and control groups (without any restriction in the timing of feeding) randomly. They followed a calorie-restricted diet for 4-weeks. Weights were measured in weeks 0, 2, 4, and 6.Results: In the baseline, mean BMI in the intervention and control group was 29.6 ± 2.3 and 29.9 ± 2.5(Kg/m2) respectively; also, the level of physical activity in the intervention and control group was 44.2 ± 6. 0 and 43.4 ± 6.2(MET-h/day), respectively. There was not found a significant difference in BMI and the level of physical activity between two groups in the baseline. A significant weight loss observed in intervention and control groups compared with previous weight during the study (p <0.001). Weight change between groups was not significant.Conclusion: Time-restricted for last meal or snack could not influence the success of weight-loss therapy. Further investigations with more accurate methods are needed to test whether shifting feeding time could have a regulatory effect with respect to reducing energy intake, thereby promoting weight loss.

کلیدواژه ها:

timing of food intake ، weight loss ، obesity ، calorie-restricted diet