Time-restricted eating may boost brain health

A recent study suggests that limiting daily meals to an eight- to nine-hour eating window may help support brain health, particularly in older women. The findings were presented at NUTRITION 2026, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, and are currently considered preliminary because the research has not yet been peer-reviewed. Scientists from Rutgers University found that women aged 50 to 79 who followed time-restricted eating while maintaining a calorie deficit performed better on certain cognitive tests than those who spread their meals over a typical 12-hour period.

The six-month study included 47 overweight or obese women, all of whom reduced their daily calorie intake by about 500 calories. Of the participants, 26 consumed all of their meals within an average 8.2-hour window, while the remaining women ate over an average 12.3-hour period. Both groups lost nearly 15 pounds on average by the end of the study. However, the women who followed the shorter eating window performed better in spatial planning and problem-solving tasks. They also made fewer errors on learning and memory tests, although those improvements were not statistically significant. Researchers found no noticeable differences in reaction time or multitasking abilities.

Lead researcher Dr. Sue Shapses, a professor at Rutgers University and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, said the findings suggest that meal timing may provide additional cognitive benefits beyond weight loss alone. She explained that finishing meals about four hours before bedtime and limiting eating to an eight- or nine-hour daily window may help reduce age-related cognitive decline. Researchers believe these benefits could be linked to the body’s circadian rhythm, metabolism, inflammation, and nutrient-sensing pathways, although more research is needed to confirm these effects.

Experts cautioned that the findings should be interpreted carefully because the study involved a relatively small number of participants and has not yet undergone peer review. The researchers emphasized that larger and longer-term studies are needed to determine whether time-restricted eating can significantly improve long-term brain health and cognitive function. Until further evidence becomes available, the results provide encouraging but preliminary insights into how meal timing may influence healthy brain aging.