9-Hour eating window may protect brain health

A new early study suggests that limiting all meals and snacks to a 9-hour eating window each day and avoiding food for at least four hours before bedtime may help reduce the risk of memory and thinking problems in older age.

The study looked at older women who were overweight or obese.

Researchers found that women who ate within the set time window showed better mental performance than those who spread their meals over a longer period during the day.

Experts say this was a small pilot study so more research is needed to confirm the findings.  However if future studies show similar results time restricted eating could become a simple way to support brain health as people age.

Professor Sue Shapses a nutrition expert at Rutgers University in the United States said that weight loss alone may help slow age related decline in brain function.

She added that eating only within an 8- to 9-hour period and stopping food intake at least four hours before sleep may provide extra benefits.

Dementia is one of the leading causes of death worldwide with around 2 million people dying from the disease each year.

While age and genetics cannot be changed experts say that a healthy lifestyle could help prevent or delay nearly half of dementia cases.

They also note that obesity in middle age may increase the risk of developing dementia later in life by about 30%.