Cutting the daily eating window may do more than trim weight. Early research suggests it could also give older women a small boost in some areas of brain function.

Preliminary findings presented at NUTRITION 2026, the American Society for Nutrition’s annual meeting in Maryland, found that older women who ate within eight to nine hours per day showed slight cognitive improvement compared to those who spread meals over about 12 hours each day.

The six-month pilot trial included 47 postmenopausal women aged 50 to 79 who were overweight or obese. All were advised to reduce their daily food intake by about 500 calories.

Participants were split into two groups. One group ate within an average 8.2-hour window, usually from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The other ate across a 12.3-hour window, according to a news release.

Both groups lost about 15 pounds over six months. But the shorter eating-window group did better on cognitive tests measuring spatial planning and problem-solving.

That group also made fewer errors on memory and learning tests, although researchers found no meaningful differences in reaction time or multi-tasking ability.

“These outcomes suggest a better ability to remember information during everyday tasks and reduce mistakes related to memory, attention and problem-solving,” lead researcher Sue Shapses, Ph.D., a professor at Rutgers University and Rutgers-RWJ Medical Center, said in a press release.

“Reductions in the eating window predicted greater improvements.”

Researchers said time-restricted eating may support brain health by regulating circadian rhythm, reducing inflammation and improving metabolic health, although the study involved a small number of participants.

Shapses said losing weight alone can help “ward off some of the aging-related cognitive decline.”

“And these data suggest there may be additional benefits if you stop eating four hours prior to going to sleep and reduce food intake to eight to nine hours per day, compared to the usual eating window of 12 hours per day.”

Researchers also said women, along with adults who are overweight or obese, tend to face a higher likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia as they age.

Lauri Wright, Ph.D., director of nutrition programs and associate professor at the USF College of Public Health, who was not involved in the research, said meal timing may matter alongside food choices and calorie intake.

“This is an interesting study because it suggests that when we eat may matter in addition to what and how much we eat,” she said in an interview with Fox News Digital.

“That suggests meal timing itself may have played a role, not just weight loss.”

She also urged caution about reading too much into the results.

“The results are promising, but we need larger, longer studies before recommending time-restricted eating specifically to improve brain health.”

Wright said researchers are still learning how intermittent fasting affects the brain, although “several biological mechanisms are being considered.”

“Giving the body a longer overnight break from eating may improve insulin sensitivity, reduce chronic inflammation, support healthy circadian rhythms and allow cells more time for repair and maintenance,” she said.

“Those processes are all linked to healthy brain aging.”

New York-based certified holistic nutritionist Robin DeCicco told Fox News Digital that eating within a shorter daily window often leads people to consume fewer calories, which can promote weight loss.

“We know that maintaining a healthy weight helps with virtually everything,” she said. “Eating within a restricted window helps people cut calories.”

“When you fast or… have periods of time where you’re not just eating throughout the whole day, it does help to lower markers of inflammation and certain sources of oxidative stress.”

Wright said intermittent fasting is not the only way to support cognitive health.

“Regular physical activity, adequate sleep, controlling blood pressure and blood sugar, avoiding smoking, maintaining social connections and following an overall healthy dietary pattern, such as the Mediterranean diet, have much stronger evidence for protecting cognitive function over time,” she said.

“Think of meal timing as one potential piece of the puzzle rather than a magic bullet.”

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