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A type of diet is once again emerging as the key to managing type 2 diabetes, with a new study – involving a Greek researcher – highlighting two important benefi
The benefit for patients with type 2 diabetes from eating around the clock seems to be double. According to a study published in JAMA Network Open, patients who followed a species intermittent fasting, led to faster weight loss as well as sugar regulation.
Researchers from the University of Illinois observed that patients who consumed their food within just eight hours daily (from 12 noon to 8 pm) they lost more weight over six months than those who reduced their caloric intake by 25%. Importantly, however, the two groups experienced comparable reductions in long-term blood sugar levels.
The study looked at 75 participants, who were divided into three groups: one group followed the interval eating plan, the second group reduced their calorie intake, and the third group was the control group. Over the course of six months, measurements were taken of the participants’ weight, waist circumference, blood sugar levels and other health indicators.
Participants in the intermittent fasting group reported that it was easier to stick to the program than those in the calorie reduction group. The researchers explain that people with diabetes often hear their doctors recommend reducing their caloric intake as an initial strategy. Consequently, many study participants may have previously attempted this approach and therefore struggled.
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Of note, although the time-restricted eating group was not specifically instructed to reduce caloric intake, they naturally did so by eating within a predetermined time frame.
“Our study demonstrates that the pattern of intermittent fasting could be an effective alternative to traditional dieting for people who cannot follow it or are exhausted from trying. For many people trying to lose weight, measuring how long you’ve been fasting is easier than counting calories,” says lead author Krista Varady, professor of kinesiology and nutrition.
The study was conducted by Vasiliki Pavlou, a dietitian in the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and her colleagues.