“We decreased the time these individuals were having high blood sugar levels with just one week of eTRF feeding,” said study senior author Jose O Aleman, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

“The findings show that eating a majority of one’s calories earlier in the day reduces the time that the blood sugar is elevated, thereby improving metabolic health.”

While the limited sample size of this study means we should take the results with a heavy pinch of salt, this is far from the only study that has found eating more earlier in the day can have a positive impact on blood sugar.

In 2022, a systematic review of 17 studies looking into both eTRF and delayed time-restricted feeding (dTRF) – where the feeding window sits later in the day – found the former to be associated with benefits including a reduction in blood pressure and lower oxidative stress.

And in 2018, another study found that people who followed an eTRF pattern experienced increased insulin sensitivity and improved blood sugar regulation as a result.

Why eating a bigger breakfast could be the key to better metabolic health