Effect of time restricted feeding on the gut microbiome in adults with obesity: A pilot study

Time restricted feeding is a form of intermittent fasting where participants shorten the daily window in which they eat.This is the first study to examine the effects of intermittent fasting on changes in the gut microbiome.Adults with obesity (n = 14) participated in a daily 8-hour time restricted feeding intervention (8-hour feeding window/16-hour fasting window) for 12 weeks. Fecal microbiota were determined by 16 S rRNA (ribosomal ribonucleic acid) gene sequencing of stool samples.Body weight decreased (P < 0.05) by -2 ± 1 kg. Gut microbiota phylogenetic diversity remained unchanged. The two most common phyla were Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes accounting for 61.2% and 26.9% of total abundance at baseline. No significant alterations in the abundance of Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, or any other phyla were detected after 12 weeks of time restricted feeding.Time restricted feeding did not significantly alter the diversity or overall composition of the gut microbiome.