Restricted eating hours may reduce cognitive decline in older age, researchers find

The small clinical trial run by academics at Rutgers University in New Jersey found ‘additional benefits’ beyond weight loss to restricted eating. Photograph: Graeme Robertson/The Guardian

Confining mealtimes and snacks to a nine-hour window and avoiding food for four hours before bed may help stave off cognitive decline in older age, researchers say.

A pilot study of older women living with overweight or obesity found hints of improvement in mental skills among those who ate within the restricted period compared with those who spread their meals over a longer time.