Study of Time-Restricted Eating to Improve Health in Night Shift Nurses and Nursing Assistants with Overweight or Obesity

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying nurses and nursing assistants who work night shifts, have elevated weight, and a habitual eating window of 14 hours or more. The study aims to evaluate whether reducing daily eating hours and consolidating food intake to daytime, with or without a low-glycemic snack during night shifts, can improve weight, abdominal fat, glucose regulation, and other metabolic and cardiovascular health markers. This research focuses on the effects of time-restricted eating TRE on the health of night shift workers, a group not yet studied in this context. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups dietary monitoring alone, dietary monitoring with a personalized consistent 10-hour TRE window, or TRE with a low-glycemic snack provided during night shifts. The TRE group consumes only water, black coffee, and tea without additives during night shifts. The study lasts one year and includes a 2-week screening and baseline period, a 6-month guided intervention, and a 6-month self-guided intervention. Throughout the study, participants will log dietary intake on a smartphone app and wear devices to monitor glucose levels, activity, sleep, and wrist temperature. Health assessments will occur at baseline, 3, 6 primary outcome, and 12 months, measuring body fat, weight, blood pressure, blood markers, body composition scans, and questionnaires on sleep and quality of life. Researchers will track adherence and metabolic health changes to understand how altering eating patterns impacts night shift workers health.

Optimization of Chrononutrition to Reduce the Risk of Disease in Shift Workers