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Encyclopedia of Nutritional Psychology

Time-restricted eating (TRE)

Evidence-informed definition Updated August 25, 2026 How to cite this entry

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Definition and context

Time-restricted eating (TRE) is an eating pattern that limits daily food intake to a consistent, predefined period of the day, with fasting during the remaining hours. Unlike many calorie-restriction diets, TRE primarily focuses on when food is consumed rather than explicitly restricting the amount or type of food eaten. TRE is considered a form of intermittent fasting and is also studied within the emerging field of chrononutrition.

Author and reviewer

Editorial responsibility
Written by Aasma Kausar, Msc Applied Psychology
Reviewed by CNP Encyclopedia Editorial Board
Evidence base

References and further reading

  1. Liu, L., Chen, W., Wu, D., & Hu, F. (2022). Metabolic Efficacy of Time-Restricted Eating in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 107(12), 3428–3441. https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgac570 View source
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How to cite this entry

Encyclopedia of Nutritional Psychology. (2026). Time-restricted eating (TRE). The Center for Nutritional Psychology.

https://www.nutritional-psychology.org/encyclopedia/time-restricted-eating-tre/
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