Date of Award

4-8-2024

Thesis Type

Masters

Document Type

Dissertation

Divisions

Faculty of Medicine

Department

Physiology

Institution

Universiti Malaya

Abstract

Cardiometabolic diseases, such as obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, along with mental health disorders like depression and anxiety, are closely linked to disruptions in circadian rhythm. Time-restricted eating (TRE) is an eating pattern that aligns with the circadian rhythm by restricting food intake to an 8–12-hour eating window during the daytime. Ramadan fasting, a form of TRE characterized by a nighttime eating window from dusk to dawn, offers a unique perspective as it contrasts with the typical diurnal eating pattern. However, no studies have directly compared TRE protocols with diurnal (daytime) and nocturnal (nighttime) eating windows within a single study. Investigating the effects of both TRE protocols is crucial for developing effective dietary interventions to combat the increasing prevalence of cardiometabolic diseases and mental health disorders. This study investigated the effects of TRE with two different eating windows: 1) a diurnal eating window from 9 am to 8 pm, and 2) a nocturnal eating window from 7 pm to 6 am, on cardiometabolic and mental health in healthy young adults over 4 weeks. Sixty-five healthy young adults (aged 19–22 years; 27 males and 38 females) participated in a 3-arm, non-randomized controlled study, divided into: 1) a control group (CON) (n = 20) with ad libitum eating, 2) diurnal time-restricted eating (DTRE) (n = 24), and 3) nocturnal time-restricted eating (NTRE) (n = 21). The study spanned 14 weeks, including a 1-week baseline, a 4-week intervention, and a 9-week post-intervention period. Outcome measures included: 1) Cardiometabolic parameters such as body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, body fat mass, visceral fat, blood pressure, and total cholesterol; 2) Mental health status assessed by the 21-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale and the WHO Well-being Index; 3) Eating window and timing of food intake recorded using the American Academy of Sleep Cardiometabolic diseases, such as obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, along with mental health disorders like depression and anxiety, are closely linked to disruptions in circadian rhythm. Time-restricted eating (TRE) is an eating pattern that aligns with the circadian rhythm by restricting food intake to an 8–12-hour eating window during the daytime. Ramadan fasting, a form of TRE characterized by a nighttime eating window from dusk to dawn, offers a unique perspective as it contrasts with the typical diurnal eating pattern. However, no studies have directly compared TRE protocols with diurnal (daytime) and nocturnal (nighttime) eating windows within a single study. Investigating the effects of both TRE protocols is crucial for developing effective dietary interventions to combat the increasing prevalence of cardiometabolic diseases and mental health disorders. This study investigated the effects of TRE with two different eating windows: 1) a diurnal eating window from 9 am to 8 pm, and 2) a nocturnal eating window from 7 pm to 6 am, on cardiometabolic and mental health in healthy young adults over 4 weeks. Sixty-five healthy young adults (aged 19–22 years; 27 males and 38 females) participated in a 3-arm, non-randomized controlled study, divided into: 1) a control group (CON) (n = 20) with ad libitum eating, 2) diurnal time-restricted eating (DTRE) (n = 24), and 3) nocturnal time-restricted eating (NTRE) (n = 21). The study spanned 14 weeks, including a 1-week baseline, a 4-week intervention, and a 9-week post-intervention period. Outcome measures included: 1) Cardiometabolic parameters such as body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, body fat mass, visceral fat, blood pressure, and total cholesterol; 2) Mental health status assessed by the 21-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale and the WHO Well-being Index; 3) Eating window and timing of food intake recorded using the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Sleep Diary; and 4) Calorie intake monitored through a 7-day food diary. After 4 weeks, the CON group maintained an average eating window of 11.3 hours. The DTRE group reduced their eating window by 1 hour (9.8%), but the reduction from 9.6 to 8.7 hours was not significant. The NTRE group significantly reduced their eating window by 3 hours (28%) from 9.6 to 6.8 hours. Significant reductions in body weight, BMI, waist circumference, and body fat mass were observed in the NTRE group, while the DTRE group showed no significant effects on cardiometabolic parameters. The findings suggest that changes in cardiometabolic health are more pronounced when there is a significant reduction in the eating window and a drastic shift in eating patterns, as seen in the NTRE group. Neither TRE protocol significantly impacted mental health status; however, there were positive trends, as evidenced by reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress scores, along with improvements in well-being scores in response to TRE. These insights provide valuable guidance for future research and clinical applications, highlighting the potential of TRE as an effective approach for managing cardiometabolic and mental health.

Initial

khm

Additional Information

Dissertation (M.A.) – Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 2024.

Download

Share

COinS