Changes in 24-hour Activity Cycle Behaviors During a Time-Restricted Eating Intervention in College-Aged Women

NCT07520786 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: PROJECT00012891
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 36
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Time-restricted Eating (TRE) is a dietary approach that limits food intake to 4 - 12-hour windows without intentionally altering diet quality. TRE has several benefits including modest reductions in body weight and fat mass, improved glucose control, and reduced inflammatory markers. While research supports the metabolic and weight related benefits of TRE, there is limited evidence of its effects on physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB) and sleep - the core components of 24-hour Activity Cycle (24-HAC), which is a holistic framework that integrates the three health-related activities. TRE research has largely focused on clinical populations, leaving its feasibility and adherence in healthy younger adults understudied. Within this group, college students' misaligned circadian rhythms and unpredictable schedules may make adherence to TRE challenging, highlighting the need for research on its practicality in this group. These outcomes are also particularly important to investigate in women, considering that SB is more prevalent among college-aged women (69%) compared to men (46%). To address these issues, we will conduct a three-week intervention to study the effects of TRE on the 24-HAC outcomes. College aged women will be screened and enrolled, then assigned to either a control or TRE group. Participants in the TRE group will self-select the timing of their 8-hour eating window which they will maintain throughout the study (with compliance on at least six days per week needed to be considered adherent). The control group will receive a basic nutrition education at the start of the study and will have no restriction on eating times. 24 HAC behaviors will be measured continuously for one-week of baseline measurement and throughout the intervention by wrist-worn ActiGraph GT9X monitors. Participants will also record the timing of their first and last meal each day and receive periodic reminders to report their hunger and satiety ratings using visual analog scales.

Conditions

Sleep Quality; Compliance; Physical Activity; Sedentary Behaviors; Sleep Duration

Keywords

Time restricted eating; Sleep quality; 24-Hour activity cycle

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• 24-Hour Activity Cycle

  Physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB) and sleep duration, the three main components of 24-Hour Activity Cycle will be measured using an ActiGraph GT9X (wrist watch style activity monitor) worn continuously on the non-dominant wrist during baseline and intervention weeks. ActiGraph accelerometers are widely used for measuring PA intensity and SB time, energy expenditure and sleep. Non-sedentary time will be used as a metric to measure time spent in PA. The Choi 90-minute algorithm will be used to identify ActiGraph non-wear times. Participants will report their sleep time and wake time in the Daily Survey. Total sleep time will be calculated as the difference in their self-reported sleep and wake times.

  From enrollment to the end of study participation (4 weeks)

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Sleep quality: Objective

  From enrollment to the end of study participation (4 weeks)

• Sleep quality: Subjective

  At the beginnning of the study and at the end of study

Other Outcomes (2)

• Hunger and Fullness

  Three times on one randomly day for 4 weeks

• Mood states

  Once a week for 4 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Time Restricted Eating (TRE)

EXPERIMENTAL

8-hour (self-selcted) TRE

Behavioral: Time Restricted Eating

Control

OTHER

Normal eating

Behavioral: Control

Interventions

Control BEHAVIORAL

The control group in this study will receive a basic nutrition education. This group will follow normal eating patterns for 3 weeks.

Control

Time Restricted Eating BEHAVIORAL

Participants randomized to the TRE group will self-select a consistent 8-hour daily eating window that aligns with their usual schedule. Participants will be instructed to consume all caloric intake within this 8-hour window and abstain from caloric intake outside of the window for 3 weeks. Participants will be instructed not to intentionally modify diet quality or caloric intake during the intervention period, aside from restricting meal timing. Consumption of water and non-caloric beverages (e.g., black coffee, unsweetened tea) will be permitted outside the eating window to maintain hydration.

Also known as: TRE

Time Restricted Eating (TRE)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 26 Years
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Female undergraduate and graduate students
• Enrolled full-time at University of Georgia
• Aged 18-26 years

You may not qualify if:

• having one of the following chronic diseases that maybe impacted by the diet changes: type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, thyroid dysfunction, hepatic/renal impairment, inflammatory bowel disease and other gastrointestinal diseases,
• report use of nicotine, thyroid medications, antidepressants, or anti-anxiety medications, melatonin
• having clinically diagnosed sleep disorders
• alcohol intake exceeds two drinks per day
• clinically diagnosed or undiagnosed eating disorders
• division-1 student athletes
• pregnant or lactating or plan on getting pregnant within 6 months
• report major ambulatory disorders,
• recently (within the past two weeks) engaged in caloric restriction, timing-based dietary changes, weight loss regimens, or adhered to specialized diets such as ketogenic or paleo diets,
• required to take medication with food, as these factors may interfere with sleep and physical activity outcomes or pose risks to participant health during restricted eating protocols. Students whose habitual eating time windows are \<10 hours will also not be eligible.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Georgia: lead

Study Sites (1)

Physical Activity Measurement Lab

Athens, Georgia, 30605, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders; Patient Compliance; Motor Activity; Sedentary Behavior; Intermittent Fasting

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Sleep Disorders, Intrinsic; Dyssomnias; Sleep Wake Disorders; Nervous System Diseases; Mental Disorders; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Treatment Adherence and Compliance; Health Behavior; Behavior; Fasting; Feeding Behavior

Study Officials

• Michael D Schmidt, Ph.D.

  University of Georgia

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Tejaswi Tamilmani Saraswathi, MS

CONTACT

19515362830; tt34515@uga.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Model Details: All participants will complete 1 week of baseline period. Participants will then be randomized in a 2:1 ratio to either the TRE or control group. Participants assigned to the TRE group will self-select and restrict all food intake to an 8-hour eating window that best fits their daily schedule for 3 weeks. Those in the control group will receive basic nutrition education and follow normal eating patterns for 3 weeks.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 27, 2026
• First Posted: April 9, 2026
• Study Start: February 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): November 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): April 1, 2027
• Last Updated: April 9, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)