Researchers from The University of Western Australia have examined why a type of intermittent fasting has gained popularity for health and weight management, despite limited formal guidance from health care providers. Dr. Hilmi Rathomi, from UWA's School of Population and Global Health, was lead author of the study published in Appetite .
The study explored the experiences of 21 adults in Western Australia who had practiced time-restricted eating, a dietary approach that limits eating to a specific window of time during daylight hours , such as 10am to 6pm, while fasting for the rest of the day. "Despite limited formal guidance from health care providers, the practice has gained traction as a manageable, low-cost option for weight management and improved health," Dr. Rathomi said.
"We wanted to understand why individuals are drawn to it even in the absence of widespread medical endorsement. "By uncovering the reasons people find it practical, we hoped to provide insights that could support health care providers in understanding patients' preferences and inform public health guidelines." The study found people adopted time-restricted eating due to dissatisfaction with traditional weight-loss methods, perceived broader health benefits, ease of integrating it into daily life and low cost.
"Participants said it made sense logically, was easier to sustain compared to restrictive diets, fitted well into their lifestyle and allowed for flexibility in food choices within the eating w.