Time Restricted Eating and Cardiac Rehabilitation

What this study is about

This study will use a form of intermittent fasting called time-restricted eating (TRE) where individuals consume ad libitum energy intake within a set window of time, commonly 8 hours, which induces a fasting window of 16 hours per day (i.e., 16:8 TRE). TRE could be an effective addition to cardiac rehabilitation as it has demonstrated cardiovascular health benefits and potential for synergy when combined with exercise training. This study will determine if TRE is a feasible and safe nutrition intervention during cardiac rehabilitation and if TRE improves the health benefits of cardiac rehabilitation compared to cardiac rehabilitation alone.

Who can join (things the study team will check)

✅ You may be able to join if…

• Men and women who are referred and eligible for either the outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program for coronary artery disease or peripheral vascular disease
• willing to accept random assignment and complete the study assessments
• Equal numbers of men and women will be recruited

🚫 You may not be able to join if…

• Inability to complete the consent form and communicate in English
• Self-reported history of an eating disorder
• Current or recent (1 year) pregnancy or breast feeding
• Body mass index <18.5 kg/m\^2 or clinical signs of cachexia
• Contraindications or inability to perform cardiopulmonary exercise testing
• Type 1 diabetes
• Type 2 diabetes that requires exogenous insulin
• Working night or rotating shifts
• Eating window <12 hours or consistently eating less than 3 meals/day in the past 3 months

Where this trial is running

• Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Who to contact

Amy Kirkham, PhD · ‭(416) 946-4069‬ · amy.kirkham@utoronto.ca

It's completely normal to call and ask questions before deciding anything. Mention the study ID: NCT05075317.