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Diabetes affects approximately 422 million people worldwide and causes approximately 1.5 million deaths annually. Type 1 diabetes is caused by genetic factors, while type 2 diabetes is caused by external factors and is thought to be preventable. The results of a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine show that intermittent fasting may play a major role in preventing it.
So how can intermittent fasting help prevent type 2 diabetes? And how can the food and beverage industry tackle this?
How can intermittent fasting prevent type 2 diabetes?
Researchers have shown that restricting food intake to no more than 10 hours a day improves important markers in many health problems, including metabolic syndrome (a group of symptoms associated with heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes). I discovered it.
The study, conducted by researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine in collaboration with the Salk Institute, shows that a form of intermittent fasting called time-restricted eating may improve the health of people with metabolic syndrome and prediabetes. It turns out that there is something. The results demonstrated significant improvements in key markers of cardiometabolic health, including blood sugar and cholesterol.
“In fact, our bodies process sugar and fat very differently depending on the time of day.”
“In fact, our bodies process sugar and fat very differently depending on the time of the day,” says study co-senior author Satchidananda Panda, Ph.D., a professor at the Salk Institute. “By time-restricted eating, we re-harness our body's natural wisdom and harness our daily circadian rhythms to restore our metabolism and improve our health.”
Circadian rhythms are 24-hour cycles of biological processes that affect nearly every cell in the body. The researchers believe that irregular eating patterns can disrupt this system, triggering metabolic syndrome symptoms such as increased abdominal fat and abnormal cholesterol and triglycerides.
The results also showed that the time-restricted eating group had reduced body weight, body mass index (BMI), and abdominal core fat, a type of fat that is closely associated with metabolic disease. Importantly, participants did not experience a significant loss in lean muscle mass, which is often a concern with weight loss.
The research team believes this trial supports time-restricted eating as a practical, low-cost intervention to improve cardiometabolic health. However, we emphasize that additional long-term studies are needed to determine whether time-restricted eating can maintain these benefits and ultimately reduce the risk of chronic disease.
“More effective treatment options that are accessible, affordable, and sustainable are urgently needed,” Dr. Taub said. “Our study shows that lifestyle interventions, such as restricting meal times, can have a significant impact on a person's overall health trajectory.”
Types of intermittent fasting
- Time-restricted meals:This involves fasting for at least 12 hours each day and eating during the remaining hours. A common example is the 16:8 method, which involves a 16-hour fast and an 8-hour eating window each day.
- 5:2 diet:This involves eating normally for five days of the week and restricting your calorie intake to between 500 and 600 on the other two days.
- Stop eating and eat:This requires fasting for 24 hours once or twice a week.
- Alternate day fasting:The goal of this diet is to fast every other day.
- Warrior's Meal:The goal of this diet is to eat small amounts of raw fruits and vegetables during the day and one large meal at night.
How can food and drink support intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting is a growing trend, championed by people like the late Dr. Michael Mosley.
“I was told I was overweight, had high blood pressure, high blood sugar and type 2 diabetes,” Moseley said. “I was introduced to the idea of intermittent fasting by a world-leading neuroscientist. I lost 30 pounds, my blood sugar returned to normal, my blood cholesterol decreased, my blood fats decreased, and my blood pressure decreased. And all of this contributed to turning my life around.”
“What you eat is just as important as when you eat.”
But Dr. Moseley is also quick to stress that “what you eat matters just as much as when you eat it,” and said this is where the food and beverage industry comes into play.
Brands have the opportunity to create meal plans for intermittent fasting, particularly for adopters of the 5:2 diet, which requires careful calorie counting on fasting days. This is a great opportunity to develop new products that provide the essential nutrients you need, such as protein and fiber.
“When you're not fasting, it's important to eat a healthy, varied diet that's good for you,” says Christina Vetter of gut health brand Zoe. “High-quality fiber and protein sources can help you feel fuller for longer.”
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by elevated blood sugar (blood sugar) levels. Over time, this increased blood sugar level can cause serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nervous system.
There are two types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2.
- Type 1 diabetes, formerly known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic disease in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin on its own.
- Type 2 diabetes is the more common form of diabetes and occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or does not produce enough insulin. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes has increased dramatically over the past 30 years.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 422 million people worldwide have diabetes, with the majority living in low- and middle-income countries. Approximately 1.5 million people die each year as a direct result of diabetes.
Source: Time-restricted eating in adults with metabolic syndrome: a randomized controlled trial
Published online: October 1, 2024
DOI: 10.7326/M24-0859
Authors: Emily NC Manoogian, PhD, Michael J Wilkinson, MD, Monica O'Neal, BS, et al.
