Background Time-restricted eating (TRE) is commonly combined with exercise, but the relative effects of different exercise modalities remain uncertain. Objective To compare usual diet or control, TRE alone, exercise alone, TRE plus aerobic exercise, TRE plus resistance training, TRE plus high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and TRE plus mixed or concurrent training. Methods PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar were searched from 2016 to 20 July 2026. Seventeen reports representing 15 unique randomised trials met the eligibility criteria after cohort linkage. Eight independent trials contributed compatible fat-mass contrasts to a random-effects pairwise meta-analysis and a seven-node frequentist network meta-analysis. Results TRE plus exercise reduced fat mass more than the same exercise without TRE [mean difference (MD) -1.85 kg, 95% confidence interval (CI) -2.34 to −1.35; I 2 = 0%; τ 2 = 0.00, and 95% prediction interval −2.46 to −1.23]. Network estimates versus usual diet or control were −3.32 kg for TRE plus concurrent training, −3.10 kg for TRE plus HIIT, −3.03 kg for TRE plus aerobic exercise, and −2.79 kg for TRE plus resistance training. Corresponding P-scores were 0.838, 0.757, 0.742, and 0.650. Confidence intervals for the active combined modalities overlapped. Residual network heterogeneity was not detected (Q = 3.29, df = 6, p = 0.772). Conclusion TRE adds a modest reduction in fat mass when combined with exercise. Concurrent training, HIIT, and aerobic exercise ranked highly for fat-mass reduction, while resistance training had the most repeated evidence for preserving fat-free mass and strength. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420261440609 , PROSPERO CRD420261440609.
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