Efficacy of time restricted eating and resistance training on body composition and mood profiles among young adults with overweight/obesity: a randomized controlled trial

Background/Objective: Dietary restriction or exercise regimens can promote weight loss or physical fitness among patients with obesity. However, intervention-associated adverse effects may impede patients' motivation to participate in dietary/exercise interventions. We examined the effects of time restricted eating (TRE) with or without resistance training (RT) on body composition, mood profile, and sleep quality in young college adults with overweight or obesity. Methods: Fifty-four young college students with overweight/obesity were randomized into control (CON), TRE, RT, and TRE plus RT (TRE+RT) trials. The TRE trials restricted to an eating window of 10-hour/day for 8-week. The RT trials performed supervised resistance exercise, while the control trial maintained a regular lifestyle. Changes in body composition variables, blood pressure, mood status, and sleep quality were measured before and after the intervention. Results: TRE intervention alone or in combination with RT significantly (p < 0.01) decreased body weight (>2 kg) and BMI (similar to 1 kg/m(2)) in adults with overweight/obesity. Both RT alone and combined with TRE substantially decreased fat mass by 1.1 +/- 0.5 and 3.2 +/- 0.4 kg, respectively. The decreased fat mass was greater in the combination trial than in the RT trial, whereas TRE alone had no effect. In contrast, fat-free mass was significantly (p < 0.01) decreased with TRE (-2.3 +/- 06 kg), increased with RT (1.6 +/- 0.3 kg), and was stably maintained with combination interventions. The reduced waist and hip circumferences in the TRE (p < 0.01) were similar to those in the TRE+RT trials, however, RT alone had no effect. Time and group interaction showed a large effect size (partial eta squared) for all body composition variables. In addition, RT with or without TRE notably decreased diastolic blood pressure (RT: -5.5 +/- 1.9 mmHg, TRE+RT: -4.1 +/- 1.5 mmHg, p < 0.05). Mild anxiety levels at baseline in RT (4.8 +/- 2.6) and TRE+RT (4.1 +/- 3) trials were found to be normal at postintervention in TRE+RT (3.6 +/- 1.7) but not in RT (5.6 +/- 3.5). No depression or stress was recorded among the participants during the intervention. The reported poor sleep quality among participants at baseline was significantly improved with RT (4.8 +/- 2.9; p < 0.05), and tended to improve with TRE+RT interventions (4.5 +/- 1.9). Conclusions: 10-hour TRE is beneficial for weight/fat loss without affecting mood status. However, TRE combined with RT might be more effective for weight/fat loss, maintaining muscle mass, and good quality of sleep among young adults with overweight or obesity.