!function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document);(new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=5a777b9b-81fe-41a6-8302-59e9953ee8a2';cnx.cmd.push(function(){cnx({"playerId":"5a777b9b-81fe-41a6-8302-59e9953ee8a2","mediaId":"baae57dd-95f9-4f99-bf1f-50ff35446652"}).render("6a674721e4b00feba8463aaf");}); Managing cholesterol, maintaining eye health, socialising, regularly exercising, and maintaining a balanced diet (with zero booze), are just some of the ways people can protect against cognitive decline – specifically, dementia – in older age. And now, a new clinical trial suggests sticking to a set eating schedule might also benefit brain function. Women who only ate during a nine-hour window and avoided eating anything in the four hours leading up to them going to bed were found to do better in spatial planning and problem-solving tests, and were less likely to make mistakes during memory tests. Tell me more about the study The small clinical trial involved 47 postmenopausal women (50 to 79 years old) who were living with overweight or obesity and were encouraged to cut 500 calories from their daily diet during a six month period. Half of the women were also advised to eat during a nine-hour window, from 10am to 6pm – also known as time-restricted eating (TRE). Previous research has suggested TRE can reduce body weight, improve glucose tolerance, reduce blood pressure and improve gut function. According to preliminary findings, those involved in the trial who stuck to the time-restricted eating schedule showed “modest” improvements in spatial planning and problem-solving tests. They also experienced fewer mistakes on learning and memory tasks. But there wasn’t an impact on multitasking or reaction time scores. Lead author Professor Sue Shapses, a nutritional scientist at Rutgers University, said losing weight alone can help slow cognitive decline in older age, and – per the Guardian – added there may be “additional benefits” for those who don’t eat outside an eight to nine-hour window. The findings were presented at Nutrition 2026. Doctors have touted the benefits of time-restricted eating for some time now TV physician and presenter Dr Rangan Chatterjee previously shared how he eats within a 12-hour period during the day for improved health. Writing for The iPaper, he said eating within a defined window helps people to be more aligned with their circadian rhythms (AKA the body’s 24-hour internal clock). “This can help with blood-sugar regulation, how much weight we put on and our immune system. It can even help with our sleep quality and digestive system, easing symptoms of things such as irritable bowel syndrome,” he wrote, adding that he’s recommended it to patients for over a decade. There are some downsides of TRE to be aware of Health experts at ZOE shared that there are some potential pitfalls to a restricted eating schedule. For starters, it can be hard to sustain and may not be suitable for everyone – ie. people who struggle with disordered eating, older adults, those with type 1 diabetes or who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Because it can involve a long stretch of time where you’re not eating, you might experience symptoms of fatigue, irritability or low energy when following this eating schedule – although the experts noted although “there’s some evidence that these symptoms may improve with time”. Related... A Physical Sign May Help Spot Dementia Before Any Other Symptoms Your Walking Speed After 80 Could Mean A 50% Lower Dementia Risk Dementia Specialists Share 3 Foods They Always Tell Patients To Eat More Of
Managing cholesterol, maintaining eye health, socialising, regularly exercising, and maintaining a balanced diet (with zero booze), are just some of the ways people can protect against cognitive decline – specifically, dementia – in older age. And now, a new clinical trial suggests sticking to a set eating schedule might also benefit brain function. Women who only ate during a nine-hour window and avoided eating anything in the four hours leading up to them going to bed were found to do better in spatial planning and problem-solving tests, and were less likely to make mistakes during memory tests. Tell me more about the study The small clinical trial involved 47 postmenopausal women (50 to 79 years old) who were living with overweight or obesity and were encouraged to cut 500 calories from their daily diet during a six month period. Half of the women were also advised to eat during a nine-hour window, from 10am to 6pm – also known as time-restricted eating (TRE). Previous research has suggested TRE can reduce body weight, improve glucose tolerance, reduce blood pressure and improve gut function. According to preliminary findings, those involved in the trial who stuck to the time-restricted eating schedule showed “modest” improvements in spatial planning and problem-solving tests. They also experienced fewer mistakes on learning and memory tasks. But there wasn’t an impact on multitasking or reaction time scores. Lead author Professor Sue Shapses, a nutritional scientist at Rutgers University, said losing weight alone can help slow cognitive decline in older age, and – per the Guardian – added there may be “additional benefits” for those who don’t eat outside an eight to nine-hour window. The findings were presented at Nutrition 2026. Doctors have touted the benefits of time-restricted eating for some time now TV physician and presenter Dr Rangan Chatterjee previously shared how he eats within a 12-hour period during the day for improved health. Writing for The iPaper, he said eating within a defined window helps people to be more aligned with their circadian rhythms (AKA the body’s 24-hour internal clock). “This can help with blood-sugar regulation, how much weight we put on and our immune system. It can even help with our sleep quality and digestive system, easing symptoms of things such as irritable bowel syndrome,” he wrote, adding that he’s recommended it to patients for over a decade. There are some downsides of TRE to be aware of Health experts at ZOE shared that there are some potential pitfalls to a restricted eating schedule. For starters, it can be hard to sustain and may not be suitable for everyone – ie. people who struggle with disordered eating, older adults, those with type 1 diabetes or who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Because it can involve a long stretch of time where you’re not eating, you might experience symptoms of fatigue, irritability or low energy when following this eating schedule – although the experts noted although “there’s some evidence that these symptoms may improve with time”. Related... A Physical Sign May Help Spot Dementia Before Any Other Symptoms Your Walking Speed After 80 Could Mean A 50% Lower Dementia Risk Dementia Specialists Share 3 Foods They Always Tell Patients To Eat More Of
