48 Participants Needed

Food Timing for Eating Habits

MM
FS
Overseen ByFrank Scheer, PhD
Age: 18 - 65
Sex: Any
Trial Phase: Academic
Sponsor: Brigham and Women's Hospital
No Placebo GroupAll trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Food Timing for Eating Habits?

Research shows that adjusting meal timing and composition, known as chrono-nutrition, can lead to significant weight loss in non-shift workers by increasing energy intake earlier in the day and reducing night eating. Although direct evidence for night shift workers is limited, similar dietary interventions have shown improvements in cholesterol levels, suggesting potential benefits for this group.12345

Is time-restricted eating or shift work dietary intervention safe for humans?

Research on shift work and dietary patterns suggests that while shift workers may experience changes in eating habits and weight gain, there is no direct evidence indicating that time-restricted eating or dietary interventions for shift workers are unsafe for humans. However, these interventions can lead to irregular eating patterns and increased calorie intake, which may affect overall health.36789

How does the treatment of food timing for eating habits differ from other treatments for weight management?

This treatment focuses on adjusting the timing of food intake, known as chrono-nutrition, to align with the body's natural circadian rhythms (internal body clock), which can enhance weight loss and improve sleep and energy levels. Unlike traditional calorie-reduction diets, this approach emphasizes eating more earlier in the day and less later, potentially leading to better metabolic health and sustained weight loss.510111213

What is the purpose of this trial?

The goal of this clinical trial is to test whether food timing impacts metabolic health in healthy participants.Participants will:* complete 2 inpatient stays* be provided with test meals* have frequent blood draws

Research Team

Frank A.J.L. Scheer | Sleep Medicine

Frank Scheer, PhD

Principal Investigator

Brigham and Women's Hospital

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for healthy individuals with a BMI between 25.0-34.9, without any acute or chronic medical and psychiatric conditions. It's designed to explore if when you eat affects your risk of developing diabetes.

Inclusion Criteria

BMI 25.0-34.9 kg/m2
I am healthy with no ongoing medical or mental health issues.

Exclusion Criteria

Individuals with drug or alcohol dependency
Smokers, current tobacco or e-cigarette users
Pregnant individuals

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Inpatient Stay

Participants complete 2 inpatient stays and are provided with test meals

2 stays
2 inpatient visits

Treatment

Participants undergo different food timing protocols to assess metabolic health

24 hours per protocol
Frequent blood draws during each protocol

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

  • Day shift protocol - Diet order A-B
  • Day shift protocol - Diet order B-A
  • Night shift protocol - Diet order A-B
  • Night shift protocol - Diet order B-A
Trial Overview Participants will follow different eating schedules while staying at the clinic twice. They'll receive test meals and undergo frequent blood tests to see how meal timing might influence their body's metabolism.
Participant Groups
4Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Night shift protocol with diet BExperimental Treatment2 Interventions
Night shift protocol with diet B condition. Since this is a single-blind study, the details of the meal conditions cannot be released during the recruitment stage but will be made public once enrollment closes.
Group II: Night shift protocol with diet AExperimental Treatment2 Interventions
Night shift protocol with diet A condition. Since this is a single-blind study, the details of the meal conditions cannot be released during the recruitment stage but will be made public once enrollment closes.
Group III: Day shift protocol with diet BExperimental Treatment2 Interventions
Day shift protocol with diet B condition. Since this is a single-blind study, the details of the meal conditions cannot be released during the recruitment stage but will be made public once enrollment closes.
Group IV: Day shift protocol with diet AExperimental Treatment2 Interventions
Day shift protocol with diet A condition. Since this is a single-blind study, the details of the meal conditions cannot be released during the recruitment stage but will be made public once enrollment closes.

Find a Clinic Near You

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Brigham and Women's Hospital

Lead Sponsor

Trials
1,694
Recruited
14,790,000+

Findings from Research

The integrated chrono-nutrition weight reduction program, involving 91 overweight/obese participants over 12 weeks, successfully improved meal timing and reduced late-night eating, indicating its efficacy in modifying dietary habits for weight management.
Evening chronotypes experienced significant improvements in sleep duration and reduced social jetlag, suggesting that the program not only aids in weight reduction but also enhances overall sleep quality.
Development and Evaluation of Integrated Chrono-Nutrition Weight Reduction Program among Overweight/Obese with Morning and Evening Chronotypes.Mazri, FH., Manaf, ZA., Shahar, S., et al.[2023]
A review of five studies involving 670 night shift workers found that dietary interventions did not lead to weight loss over six or twelve months, but did result in a decrease in LDL-cholesterol levels after six months.
The timing of meals significantly affected metabolic responses, with triglycerides peaking after evening meals and glucose and insulin levels peaking later, indicating that meal timing may play a crucial role in managing cardiometabolic health for night shift workers.
Dietary Interventions for Night Shift Workers: A Literature Review.Phoi, YY., Keogh, JB.[2020]
Late-shift hospital workers experienced a significantly greater mean weight gain of 4.3 kg compared to 0.9 kg in day-shift workers, suggesting a link between shift work and weight gain.
Factors contributing to this weight gain in late-shift workers included a trend of increased food intake, fewer meals consumed, and later meal times, along with reported decreases in exercise and increased napping during the work week.
Work-shift period and weight change.Geliebter, A., Gluck, ME., Tanowitz, M., et al.[2019]

References

Development and Evaluation of Integrated Chrono-Nutrition Weight Reduction Program among Overweight/Obese with Morning and Evening Chronotypes. [2023]
Dietary Interventions for Night Shift Workers: A Literature Review. [2020]
Work-shift period and weight change. [2019]
Evaluation of the "Shifting Weight using Intermittent Fasting in night-shift workers" weight loss interventions: a mixed-methods protocol. [2023]
Improvement in chrono-nutrition is associated with robust weight loss outcomes: An extension of the feasibility study. [2023]
Impact of Shift Work on the Eating Pattern, Physical Activity and Daytime Sleepiness Among Chilean Healthcare Workers. [2020]
[Caloric intake and weight gain according to the shift schedule of shift workers]. [2008]
Food intake and circadian rhythms in shift workers with a high workload. [2019]
Dietary Patterns under the Influence of Rotational Shift Work Schedules: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. [2023]
10.United Statespubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
A Smartphone App Reveals Erratic Diurnal Eating Patterns in Humans that Can Be Modulated for Health Benefits. [2022]
Circadian and ultradian rhythms in the feeding behaviour and nutrient intakes of oil refinery operators with shift-work every 3--4 days. [2004]
Identification of factors influencing motivation to undertake time-restricted feeding in humans. [2021]
13.United Statespubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Daily pattern of energy distribution and weight loss. [2019]
Unbiased ResultsWe believe in providing patients with all the options.
Your Data Stays Your DataWe only share your information with the clinical trials you're trying to access.
Verified Trials OnlyAll of our trials are run by licensed doctors, researchers, and healthcare companies.
Back to top
Terms of ServiceยทPrivacy PolicyยทCookiesยทSecurity