525 - Impact of Meal Timing on Quality of Life in Adolescents with Obesity Seeking Treatment

Poster Number: 525
Publication Number: 525.239

Elizabeth Hegedus, Rocky Vista University, Denver, CO, United States; Sarah-Jeanne Salvy, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Choo Phei Wee, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Alaina P. Vidmar, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Monica N. Naguib, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Jennifer Raymond, CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES, LOS ANGELES, CA, United States

Background: Little is known about the ideal meal timing for adolescents living with obesity. Misalignment between adolescent biological and social rhythms often leads to conflict with compulsory school and family schedules, including eating timing and structure. With the growing interest in meal timing interventions, there is a need to better understand how shifting eating windows influence quality of life (QoL) in adolescents with obesity.

Objective: We examined the relationship between time-restricted (8 hours) and prolonged (12 hours) eating windows and QOL in adolescents with obesity.

Design/Methods: Participants were 50 adolescents (ages 14-18, 62% female, 71% publicly insured, 68% Hispanic, BMI >95th percentile). All adolescents received one nutrition counseling session and they were required to wear a continuous glucose monitor devise for the duration of the study. Participants were randomly assigned to a (1) Prolonged (12-hour eating/12-hour fasting) or (2) late time-restricted (8-hour eating between 11 am and 7 pm/16 hours fasting) eating windows. All adolescents and their caregivers completed the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PEDsQL) at baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention. A mixed effect tobit regression model was used to evaluate change in scores for adolescents and parents over the study period.

Results: The mean total QoL score increased significantly for both adolescents (β=3.29, 95%CI=1.12, 5.46, p=0.003) and caregivers (β=5.38, 95%CI=2.20,8.55, p=0.001) over the study period, with no between-group difference in QoL change (β =-0.65, 95%CI= -13.33, 12.02, interaction p = 0.913).Conclusion(s): Adjusting meal timing in adolescents with obesity does not appear to negatively impact quality of life suggesting that interventions that alter meal timing may be useful for weight management in this age group. Further investigation is warranted to determine exactly which meal timing patterns are most aligned and effective for adolescents.