Eating within a shorter daily window could help support brain health as people age, according to new research.Preliminary findings presented at NUTRITION 2026 — the American Society for Nutrition’s annual meeting in Maryland — suggests that older women who ate within eight to nine hours per day saw slight cognitive improvement compared to those who spread their meals over about 12 hours each day.The small six-month trial included 47 postmenopausal obese or overweight women aged 50 to 79.They were each advised to reduce their daily food intake by about 500 calories.INTERMITTENT FASTING'S REAL BENEFIT MAY COME AFTER YOU START EATING AGAINThe participants were divided into two groups.
One ate in a time-restricted window within an average of 8.2 hours, usually from 10 a.m.to 6 p.m.
The other group ate across a 12.3-hour window, according to a news release.Both groups saw weight-loss results, but the shorter-window group scored higher on cognitive tests.(iStock)Both groups lost about 15 pounds over six months, but those in the shorter eating-window group performed better on cognitive tests measuring spatial planning and problem-solving.The shorter-window group also showed fewer errors on memory and learning tests, but no meaningful differences in reaction time or multi-tasking ability.PEOPLE LOST WEIGHT WHILE EATING SIGNIFICANTLY MORE FOOD — HERE'S THE SECRET"These outcomes suggest a better ability to remember information during everyday tasks and reduce mistakes related to memory, attention and problem-solving," lead researcher Sue Shapses, PhD, a professor at Rutgers University and Rutgers-RWJ Medical Center, said in a press release.
"Reductions in the eating window predicted greater improvements."Although the pilot study included only a small number of participants, the researchers believe that time-restricted eating may support brain health by regulating circadian rhythm, reducing inflammation and improving metabolic health."Think of meal timing as one pot...