A new study from Rutgers University indicates that limiting food intake to an eight-to-nine-hour window each day may help preserve cognitive abilities in older women.
The preliminary research was presented at the NUTRITION 2026 conference.
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The six-month clinical trial involved 47 women aged 50 to 79 who were overweight or obese. All participants reduced their daily calorie intake by about 500 calories.
Among them, 26 women also restricted their eating window to an average of 8.2 hours per day.
By the end of the study, both groups lost an average of 15 pounds.
However, those in the time-restricted eating group scored significantly higher on tests measuring problem-solving and spatial planning compared to those who ate over a traditional 12-hour period.
Participants on the restricted schedule also made fewer errors during learning and memory assessments. Reaction times and multitasking abilities showed no notable difference between the groups.
Potential Cognitive Benefits Beyond Weight Loss
Lead investigator Sue Shapses, a professor at Rutgers University and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, highlighted the cognitive implications.
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"Losing weight alone will ward off some of the aging-related cognitive decline, and these data suggest that there may be additional benefits if you stop eating 4 hours prior to going to sleep and reduce food intake to 8-9 hours per day," Shapses said.
She noted that the cognitive improvements were modest, with participants showing better retention of information needed for daily tasks and fewer errors in memory and attention.
The research team plans to investigate biological mechanisms linking meal timing to brain health, including effects on metabolism, nutrient sensing, inflammation, and circadian rhythms.
External experts caution that the findings are preliminary.
"These findings are preliminary and larger peer-reviewed studies are needed to determine whether the cognitive improvements are clinically meaningful," said Wendy Hall, professor of nutritional sciences at King's College London.
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The results have not yet undergone full peer review, and researchers emphasize that larger trials are needed to confirm the outcomes.
