Introduction: Aging is often associated with a host of biological changes that contribute to a progressive decline in cognitive and physical function, ultimately leading to a loss of independence and increased risk of mortality. Time-restricted feeding (TRF) has shown promise to reduce some of these adverse changes; however, there is a need to test the feasibility of such an intervention in TRF in older adults.
Methods: We evaluated the factors that affected adherence levels in ten overweight, sedentary older adults aged 65 or older with mild to moderate functional limitations.
Results: From a biological perspective, the participants adjusted to the 16 hours fast after the first initial days of the fasting protocol. Participants generally reported an increase in energy levels and improvements in quality of life. Regarding socio-environmental factors, participants stated that family and friend’s support played a fundamental role in their adherence to the protocol.
Discussion: The key finding of the current trial was that TRF appears feasible, tolerable, and safe for older adults. Future studies should incorporate more contact and/or educational material during the earlier stages of the study to increase adherence to a TRF protocol.