Time-restricted Eating Versus Daily Continuous Calorie Restriction on Body Weight and Colorectal Cancer Risk Markers

July 20, 2026 updated by: Lisa Tussing-Humphreys, University of Illinois at Chicago

Effects of Time-restricted Eating Versus Daily Continuous Calorie Restriction on Body Weight and Colorectal Cancer Risk Markers Among Adults With Obesity

Approximately 42% of American adults are obese, and this condition is strongly related to the development of colorectal cancer. Innovative lifestyle strategies to treat obesity and reduce colorectal cancer risk are critically needed. This research will demonstrate that time-restricted eating, a type of intermittent fasting, is an effective therapy to help obese individuals reduce and control their body weight and prevent the development of colorectal cancer.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Approximately 42% of the U.S. adult population is obese and data suggests that persons with obesity are at a 30% greater risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC). Therefore, efficacious approaches to preventing and treating obesity will have significant effects on CRC incidence in the U.S. Although calorie restriction through lifestyle intervention is the most common approach to treat obesity, clinically meaningful weight loss is difficult to achieve via this method due to low adherence with calorie monitoring, indicating a need for innovation. Time-restricted eating, a type of intermittent fasting, has been shown in animals to impart cancer protective effects including lower body weight, decreased systemic inflammation, and improved glucose metabolism. Time-restricted eating is where individuals are asked to consume all their food for the day within a specified time frame, and water fast for the remaining hours of the day. We recently performed two short-term (≤12-weeks) pilot studies of time-restricted eating to evaluate its safety and preliminary efficacy on body weight and chronic disease risk markers in adults with obesity. Our results show the intervention is a safe and acceptable approach to weight loss among obese adults. Moreover, time-restricted eating produced approximately 3% weight loss from baseline and reductions in systolic blood pressure, oxidative stress and insulin resistance. Although these pilot findings show promise for time-restricted eating as an effective tool for CRC risk reduction among obese individuals, these data still require confirmation by a well powered longer-term clinical trial. The present proposal aims to implement a 12-month (6-month intervention, 6-month maintenance) controlled, parallel arm trial among 255 obese adults (45-70 years old) who have had a colonoscopy. Subjects will be randomized to 1 of 3 groups: 1) 8-hour time-restricted eating (daily ad libitum food intake from 12pm - 8pm), 2) Calorie restriction (daily 25% calorie restriction), or 3) Control (daily ad libitum food intake, no meal timing restrictions) to compare the effects on: (1) Body weight, body composition, and intervention adherence; (2) Circulating metabolic, inflammation, and oxidative stress-related biomarkers; (3) Colonic mucosal gene expression profiles and mucosal inflammation, DNA damage and cellular growth; and (4) maintenance of benefits on body weight/composition and CRC markers.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
194

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.
  • Name: Krista Varady, PhD
  • Phone Number: 312-996-7897
  • Email: varady@uic.edu

Study Contact Backup

  • Name: Lisa Tussing-Humphreys, PhD, MS, RD
  • Phone Number: 312-355-5521
  • Email: tussing@uic.edu

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Illinois
      • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60612
        • University of Illinois at Chicago

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

45 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. 45-70 years old,
  2. BMI 30-49.99 kg/m2
  3. Are up to date with CRC screening.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Have a history of renal disease, autoimmune disorders, immunodeficiency, malabsorptive disorder, significant gastrointestinal and hepatic disease, surgical change in gastrointestinal anatomy, severe ischemic heart disease, severe pulmonary disease, severe mental health disorder, eating disorder, or bariatric surgery;
  2. Abuse alcohol (> 50 grams/day), illicit drugs (other than self-reported marijuana use), or use combustible tobacco;
  3. Have controlled type 2 diabetes or undiagnosed uncontrolled diabetes based on hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) > 9.0%;
  4. Have a history of cancer treatment within the past 12 months, CRC, genetic predisposition to CRC (e.g., Lynch syndrome);
  5. Have a baseline body weight > 450 lbs (weight limitation of the DXA);
  6. Are on a weight loss diet or actively involved in a formal weight loss program (e.g., Weight Watchers);
  7. Are not weight stable for 3 months prior to the study (weight gain or loss > 4 kg);
  8. Are unable to keep a food diary for 7 consecutive days during screening;
  9. Are night shift workers;
  10. Are pregnant or trying to get pregnant;
  11. Are taking drugs that influence study outcomes (weight loss medications);
  12. Are non-English speaking
  13. Are taking anticoagulant medications or medications with endoscopic risk
  14. Are taking antivirals or immunosuppressant medications
  15. Don't have regular access to an email address and computer/smartphone/tablet
  16. Are currently following a diet that requires fasting on a weekly basis
  17. Currently eat for less than 10 hours of the day (determined by asking participants what time they start and stop eating on a usual day)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Time Restricted Eating (TRE)
During the active weight loss period, the TRE group will be instructed to eat ad libitum from 12:00pm - 8:00pm daily and fast from 8:00pm - 12:00pm. During the 8-h eating window, there will be no restrictions on types or quantities of foods consumed. During the fasting period, participants will be encouraged to drink plenty of water and may consume energy-free beverages, such as black tea or coffee. TRE subjects will meet with the TRE dietitian for 30 minutes at the start of the intervention to review instructions and goals, and then every week throughout the active weight loss period to review intervention adherence. At the beginning of the maintenance phase, total energy needs will be reassessed. Subjects will be instructed to main their body weight by consuming meals in an extended 10-h eating window every day and water fast between 8pm and 10 am, respectively.
Behavioral: Time restricted eating
daily ad libitum food intake, 8-h 12pm - 8pm, 6 m active weight loss phase; 10-h 10am-8pm, 6 m maintenance phase
Active Comparator: Calorie Restriction (Cal-R)
Cal-R subjects will be instructed to restrict energy intake by 25% of their baseline total energy expenditure (TEE) daily. Subjects will meet with a study dietitian for a 60-min one-on-one session to develop individualized weight loss meal plans to help them adhere to their calorie restriction goal. Meal plans will include portion sizes and food lists that are consistent with their food preferences and prescribed calorie levels for weight loss. Food scales will be provided to help with food portioning. Cal-R subjects will meet with the dietitian every week throughout the weight loss period to review intervention adherence and modify the meal plans as needed. Subjects will be asked to maintain their baseline level of physical activity. At the beginning of the weight maintenance phase, total energy needs will be reassessed.
Behavioral: Calorie Restriction
daily 25% calorie restriction, 6 m active weight loss phase; 100% energy needs, 6 m maintenance phase
No Intervention: Control
Controls will be instructed to maintain their weight throughout the 12 m trial and to not change eating or physical activity habits. Controls will not receive dietary counseling. Controls will visit the research center every 3 months for outcome measurements.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Weight change (% kg)
Time Frame: Baseline to month 6
Body weight in kg
Baseline to month 6

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Total and regional body fat composition and distribution
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 month and 12 month
Total and regional body fat composition and distribution will be measured via whole body DEXA scan
Baseline, 6 month and 12 month
Intervention adherence
Time Frame: Monthly, through month 6
Measured through electronic diet records and 24 hour dietary recalls
Monthly, through month 6
Colonic mucosa gene expression profiling
Time Frame: Baseline, month 6, month 12
Commercially available targeted transcriptomics platform
Baseline, month 6, month 12
Ki-67, proliferation
Time Frame: Baseline, month 6, month 12
Healthy colonic mucosa, immunohistochemistry
Baseline, month 6, month 12
c-caspase-3, Bax, apoptosis
Time Frame: Baseline, month 6, month 12
Healthy colonic mucosa, immunohistochemistry,
Baseline, month 6, month 12
CD3, CD163, pIKKa/b, tissue markers of inflammation
Time Frame: Baseline, month 6, month 12
Healthy colonic mucosa, immunohistochemistry
Baseline, month 6, month 12
Weight maintenance (% kg)
Time Frame: Month 6 to month 12
Maintenance of weight loss
Month 6 to month 12
Plasma cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, IL1-β, and IL-10, %
Time Frame: Baseline, month 3, month 6, month 9, month 12
Multiplex ELISA
Baseline, month 3, month 6, month 9, month 12
Plasma 8-isoprostane
Time Frame: Baseline, month 3, month 6, month 9, month 12
ELISA
Baseline, month 3, month 6, month 9, month 12
HOMA-IR
Time Frame: Baseline, month 3, month 6, month 9, month 12
calculated from fasting glucose and insulin using a standard formula
Baseline, month 3, month 6, month 9, month 12
Gut Microbiome
Time Frame: Baseline, month 3 and month 6
Shotgun metagenomics
Baseline, month 3 and month 6
Fecal Metabolites
Time Frame: Baseline, month 3 and month 6
Untargeted Metabolomics
Baseline, month 3 and month 6
Saliva microbiota
Time Frame: Baseline, month 3, month 6
Untargeted Metabolomics
Baseline, month 3, month 6
Fasting serum glucose
Time Frame: Baseline, month 3, month 6, month 9, month 12
From fasting venous blood measured by a commercial lab
Baseline, month 3, month 6, month 9, month 12
Fasting serum insulin
Time Frame: Baseline, month 3, month 6, month 9, month 12
From fasting venous blood measured at a commercial lab
Baseline, month 3, month 6, month 9, month 12

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Illinois at Chicago

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Lisa Tussing-Humphreys, PhD, MS, RD, University of Illinois at Chicago

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 17, 2022

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
March 31, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
March 31, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
September 29, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 5, 2021

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
November 10, 2021

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 21, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 20, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2020-1627
  • 1R01CA257807 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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