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A new study shows evidence of intermittent fasting, especially when limited to these hours.

A new study found an efficient way of losing weight. The research, published in JAMA International Medicine and conducted by researchers of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, found that one of the most efficient ways of losing weight was “early time-restricted eating (eTRE),” a method that limits people’s food intakes to certain hours of the day.

The clinical trial was randomized and conducted on 90 subjects that lived in the United States and had obesity. All participants were between the ages of 25 to 75, with a majority of women. It was conducted between the years 2018 and 2020.

The study found that participants who limited their eating to the hours of 7 am and 3 pm lost about 5 pounds more when compared to other participants. These participants also had lower blood pressure, with researchers concluding that the technique likely helped treat hypertension and obesity.

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While it may sound extreme to consume foods only between the hours of 7 a.m. and 3 p.m., this technique is nothing new and is commonly known as intermittent fasting. Researchers claimed that if participants stuck to this schedule for 5 days a week, they still reported benefits.

Still, researchers claim the study had a limited scope, especially since it was only conducted on people with obesity. “Our study has a few limitations, including being modest in duration, enrolling mostly women, and not achieving our intended sample size, partly owing to the Covid-19 pandemic,” they wrote.

They plan on expanding the study to envelop a wider scope of people and to develop a clearer picture of intermittent fasting.

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Aside from helping people lose weight, the practice helped treat subjects’ fatigue,  depression, and made them feel more energized. While no one should make abrupt changes to their diet based on one study, the evidence joins a large body of work that highlights the strengths of intermittent fasting and of consuming meals at the right times.

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