Eating Within Consistent 10-Hour Window Reduces Risk of Chronic Diseases

October 7, 2021 by Alexa Hornbeck
Eating Within Consistent 10-Hour Window Reduces Risk of Chronic Diseases

Researchers from the UC San Diego School of Medicine and Salk Institute conducted a review of time-restricted eating that shows eating within an 8-10-hour window can reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease. 

“Just like to be productive we plan our day and stick to the plan, when these internal timetables of genetic functions are carried out at the right time, we stay healthy and recover faster from diseases,” said Satchidananda Panda, co-corresponding author and professor in Salk’s Regulatory Biology Laboratory. 

The study finds that time-restricted eating can support an individual’s circadian rhythms and maximize health benefits as the consistency of the 10-hour window allows an alignment with the internal clock of the body. 

Panda’s 2019 pilot study provided evidence that time-restricted food intake could provide health benefits for patients with metabolic syndrome, and lead to a healthier metabolism.

His prior research included 19 participants, consisting of 13 men and six women, with metabolic syndrome, with 85% taking at least one medication.

By using an app called myCircadianClock, created by Panda’s lab, participants logged their caloric intake, weight, blood pressure, and other metrics that allowed researchers to understand what their biological rhythms said about their health. 

A two-week observation period was conducted to have a baseline reference for the study, followed by a three-month, 10 hour-time restricted eating intervention.

Participants chose to begin their 10-hour eating window between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. and end the eating window between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. According to the study, the participants achieved this by delaying the time of the first calorie and advancing their last calorie.

“Timed-restricted eating has a consistent eating window of the same time every day, so the body can anticipate when to expect food and prepare physiology responses accordingly. Intermittent fasting only takes fasting duration into account, but not the regularity in time of day.  Time-restricted eating does not require any caloric restriction, whereas intermittent fasting almost always does,” said Emily Manoogian, a co-author of the study, and chronobiologist and clinical researcher at The Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

“Almost everything in your body has a 24-hour rhythm. This includes hormone release, gene expression, glucose regulation, heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, etc. The circadian system keeps all of these things happening at the right time, so your body works together. Eating at the same time of day allows processes like this to be optimized,” said Manoogian.

Even for those with a busy schedule, time-restricted eating within an 8-10 hour eating window has not been found to cause mental or physical adverse effects, and in fact, Manoogian said that it has helped to improve an individual’s view of their own health, improve sleep, and increase energy levels.

However, Manoogian said that time-restricted eating may not be recommended for individuals with Type 1 diabetes, or minors and women who are breastfeeding or pregnant. 

“Time-restricted eating seems to help optimize physiology as a whole, so it tends to help with any chronic condition. It is now being used in studies to assess benefits for other diseases, such as cancer,” said Manoogian.

“When you eat is another pillar of a healthy diet, the same way that what and how much you eat are. I think the first step is to identify your eating patterns, and then you can modify it to get to a schedule that you can maintain,” said Manoogian.

A+
a-
  • consistent eating
  • Research
  • Salk Institute
  • UC Sandiego School of MEdicine
  • In The News

    Health

    Voting

    Research

    July 10, 2025
    by Cameron Glymph
    Capitol Hill Gathering Highlights the Impact of Canceled Research Grants 

    WASHINGTON — Kimiko Krieger, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, moved from Texas to Maryland... Read More

    WASHINGTON — Kimiko Krieger, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, moved from Texas to Maryland last year with the promise of research funding for five years through the National Institutes of Health.  However, shortly after President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January,... Read More

    July 8, 2025
    by Alexa Citrin
    Study Indicates Decline in Children’s Health 

    WASHINGTON — A new study has found that the health of U.S. children has deteriorated since 2007, with notably higher... Read More

    WASHINGTON — A new study has found that the health of U.S. children has deteriorated since 2007, with notably higher rates of obesity, chronic illness and mental health issues becoming more common at earlier ages than in the past. The study, published in the Journal of... Read More

    NFL Widows Struggled to Care for Former Players With CTE. They Say a New Study Minimizes Their Pain

    BOSTON (AP) — Dozens of widows and other caregivers for former NFL players diagnosed with CTE say a published study... Read More

    BOSTON (AP) — Dozens of widows and other caregivers for former NFL players diagnosed with CTE say a published study is insulting and dismissive of their experience living with the degenerative brain disease that has been linked to concussions and other repeated head trauma common in contact sports... Read More

    Astronomers Create a Dazzling, Elaborate Map of Nearby Galaxy in Thousands of Colors

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Astronomers have revealed a nearby spiral galaxy in all its brilliant glory, shining in thousands of colors.... Read More

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Astronomers have revealed a nearby spiral galaxy in all its brilliant glory, shining in thousands of colors. The dazzling panoramic shot released Wednesday of the Sculptor galaxy by a telescope in Chile is so detailed that it's already serving as a star-packed map. Scientists used... Read More

    Kennedy Picks for CDC Panel Proudly Boast Vaccine Skepticism

    WASHINGTON — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has chosen eight new members for the panel of experts that advises... Read More

    WASHINGTON — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has chosen eight new members for the panel of experts that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccine policy, including a number of well-known vaccine skeptics. The panel, the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices,... Read More

    June 10, 2025
    by Cameron Glymph
    Study Finds America’s Enthusiasm for Renewable Energy Is Waning

    WASHINGTON — The percentage of Americans who say they’re excited about the expanded use of renewable energy, such as wind... Read More

    WASHINGTON — The percentage of Americans who say they’re excited about the expanded use of renewable energy, such as wind and solar power, has decreased in the years since President Donald Trump first held office, a new Pew Research survey has found. While renewable energy initiatives... Read More

    News From The Well
    scroll top