Time-restricted eating may help lower dementia risk in older women

Results from a small clinical trial suggest it may be possible to reduce your risk of dementia by eating during fewer hours of the day. The pilot study, which involved a weight-loss program for older women with overweight or obesity, showed modest cognitive improvements in those who limited their daily eating window instead of just reducing their calorie intake.

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, compared to the usual eating window of 12 hours per day."

Shapses' group will present the findings at NUTRITION 2026, the flagship annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, held July 25–28 in National Harbor, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C.

Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia have become more prevalent as populations age, and women and people who are overweight or obese tend to face a higher likelihood of developing these conditions. Diet and other lifestyle factors have been linked to dementia risk, but few studies have examined whether modifying these factors can reduce that risk.