WASHINGTON, D.C. (WOWO) — A new study suggests that when older adults eat each day may influence brain health, with researchers finding that women who followed a shorter daily eating window showed modest improvements in cognitive performance compared with those who spread meals across a longer period.

The preliminary findings, presented at NUTRITION 2026, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, examined whether time-restricted eating could affect cognitive function in older women.

Researchers studied 47 postmenopausal women between the ages of 50 and 79 who were overweight or obese. The participants followed a six-month program in which they were instructed to reduce their daily food intake by about 500 calories.

The women were divided into two groups. One group ate within a restricted window averaging about 8.2 hours per day, typically between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. The second group spread their meals over an average of 12.3 hours.

Both groups lost approximately 15 pounds during the study period. However, researchers found differences in cognitive testing between the groups.

Participants who followed the shorter eating window performed better on tests involving spatial planning and problem-solving. They also made fewer mistakes on memory and learning assessments.

The researchers did not find significant differences between the groups in reaction time or the ability to multitask.

“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-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, said in a press release.

Shapses said the findings suggest that reducing the amount of time spent eating each day may provide benefits beyond weight loss.

“Reductions in the eating window predicted greater improvements,” she said.

Researchers cautioned that the study was small and that more research involving larger groups and longer follow-up periods is needed before time-restricted eating can be recommended specifically as a strategy for improving brain health.

Experts say there are several possible explanations for the findings. Limiting eating hours may help regulate the body’s circadian rhythm, improve blood sugar control, reduce inflammation and support metabolic health — all factors connected to healthy aging.

Lauri Wright, Ph.D., director of nutrition programs and associate professor at the University of South Florida College of Public Health, said the study raises an important question about the relationship between meal timing and overall health.

“This is an interesting study because it suggests that when we eat may matter in addition to what and how much we eat,” Wright told Fox News Digital. “That suggests meal timing itself may have played a role, not just weight loss.”

Wright said the results are encouraging but emphasized that researchers still need more evidence before recommending time-restricted eating as a specific method for preventing cognitive decline.

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

Researchers believe the approach could have potential because adults who are overweight or obese face increased risks for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia as they age.

Shapses noted that weight loss alone may help reduce some age-related cognitive decline, but the study suggests there could be additional benefits from limiting eating hours.

“Stopping eating four hours prior to going to sleep and reducing food intake to eight to nine hours per day” may provide benefits compared with a typical 12-hour eating window, she said.

Nutrition experts also noted that intermittent fasting may work partly because it naturally reduces calorie intake.

Robin DeCicco, a New York-based certified holistic nutritionist, said many people consume fewer calories when they limit the hours they eat.

“We know that maintaining a healthy weight helps with virtually everything,” DeCicco told Fox News Digital.

She said periods without eating may also help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, which are processes associated with aging and chronic disease.

Experts stressed, however, that fasting is not appropriate for everyone. Wright advised against time-restricted eating for children and teenagers, pregnant or breastfeeding women, people with a history of eating disorders, and individuals with diabetes who use insulin.

She also pointed out that other lifestyle factors have stronger evidence for protecting brain health, including regular exercise, adequate sleep, controlling blood pressure and blood sugar, avoiding smoking, maintaining social connections and following healthy eating patterns such as the Mediterranean diet.

Researchers say future studies will be needed to determine whether meal timing itself — separate from weight loss and calorie reduction — can help slow cognitive decline and support long-term brain health.