A qualitative exploration of facilitators and barriers of adherence to time-restricted eating

Authors

Sydney G. O'Connor, Behavioral Research Program, Division of Cancer Control & Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA. Electronic address: sydney.oconnor@nih.gov.
Patrick Boyd, Behavioral Research Program, Division of Cancer Control & Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.
Caitlin P. Bailey, The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, D.C, USA.
Linda Nebeling, Behavioral Research Program, Division of Cancer Control & Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.
Jill Reedy, Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program, Division of Cancer Control & Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.
Susan M. Czajkowski, Behavioral Research Program, Division of Cancer Control & Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.
Marissa M. Shams-White, Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program, Division of Cancer Control & Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

8-5-2022

Journal

Appetite

Volume

178

DOI

10.1016/j.appet.2022.106266

Keywords

Adherence; Compliance; Eating behavior; IF; Intermittent fasting; Qualitative methods; TRE; Time-restricted eating

Abstract

Time-restricted eating (TRE), a dietary strategy that involves limiting daily energy intake to a window of ≤12 h is appealing for weight management and metabolic health due to its relative simplicity and the ability to consume ad libitum diet during eating windows. Despite the potential utility of TRE for improving health and reducing disease, the feasibility of adherence depends upon a variety of multilevel factors which are largely unexplored. The primary aim of our study was to explore facilitators and barriers of adherence to TRE among community-dwelling individuals. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted among 24 individuals (50% male; M age: 34, range: 18-57; 58% overweight/obese) who currently or formerly practiced TRE. Thematic analysis identified facilitators of and barriers to TRE adherence at multiple levels of influence (i.e., biological, behavioral, psychosocial, environmental). Key facilitators of adherence included improvements in physical health and energy levels, alignment with other aspects of diet, exercise and sleep patterns, self-monitoring and positive psychological impacts, social support, and busy or regular schedules. Key barriers included negative physical health effects, feelings of hunger and sluggishness, difficulty in skipping valued baseline eating routines or inadequate diet quality during the eating window, misalignment of TRE with 24-h activity behaviors, difficulties with self-monitoring, the need to mitigate negative feelings, social situations that discourage TRE, and irregular or idle schedules. Results illustrate that key drivers of adherence differ across individuals and their unique settings and that multiple drivers of behavior should be considered in the successful implementation of TRE. Findings may inform interventions seeking to tailor TRE schedules to fit individuals' diverse behavioral patterns and preferences, thereby optimizing adherence.

APA Citation

O'Connor, Sydney G.; Boyd, Patrick; Bailey, Caitlin P.; Nebeling, Linda; Reedy, Jill; Czajkowski, Susan M.; and Shams-White, Marissa M., "A qualitative exploration of facilitators and barriers of adherence to time-restricted eating" (2022). GW Authored Works. Paper 1515.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/1515

Department

Public Health Student Works