According to the CDC, over 11% of the US population has diabetes, while over 23% are undiagnosed. 1 The complications of diabetes are usually the demise of those that have it. Cardiovascular disease, renal failure, and complications of communicable diseases like Covid are common. Preventing diabetes is key.

New research out of the University of Adelaide and South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute evaluated two diets: a time-restricted intermittent fasting diet and a lower calorie diet to find which was better for people that are likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

Senior author from the University of Adelaide's Professor Leonie Heilbronn, Adelaide Medical School notes, “Following a time-restricted, intermittent fasting diet could help lower the chances of developing type 2 diabetes,"

In her study, she showed that individuals that fasted and only ate between 8 AM and 12 PM during three days of the week had better glucose tolerance after six months than those that followed a daily calorie-restricted.

Individuals using this type of intermittent fasting had better insulin sensitivity and also benefitted from a drop in blood lipids compared to those on a calorie-restricted diet.

When the body’s cells no longer respond to insulin effectively and lose the ability to make the hormone, type 2 diabetes develops.

Experts estimate that almost 60% of cases of type 2 diabetes could be prevented or delayed with modifications to diet and lifestyle. Nearly 1.3 million Australians have diabetes.

The 18-month study was published in Nature Medicine and had over 200 subjects from South Australia.

Similar amounts of weight loss were seen in subjects doing either time-restricted or calorie-controlled diets.

First author Xiao Tong Teong, a PhD student at the University of Adelaide states, "This is the largest study in the world to date and the first powered to assess how the body processes and uses glucose after eating a meal, which is a better indicator of diabetes risk than a fasting test,".

Results of the study add to previous research that suggests that meal timing and fasting are superior to a calorie-restricted diet alone, regardless of weight loss. This may be beneficial in clinical practice.

More research is needed to study if similar benefits may be seen with a longer eating window, which in the long term, may make the diet more sustainable.

Here are some tips for individuals considering time-restricted eating:

·         Include high-protein food with all meals. Eggs, low-fat cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, or peanut butter at breakfast may promote satiety.

·         Add beans, lentils, tuna, hard-boiled eggs, fish, or lean meat to salads.

·         Choose whole grains for more fiber- rolled oats, 100% whole wheat bread or pasta, brown rice, bulgur, farro, quinoa, or soba noodles.

·         Add more leafy greens to meals to add volume without calories or carbohydrates. Spinach, kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, collard, and mustard greens are great.

·         Drink plenty of water, especially on fasting days.

·         Plan fasting days around heavy bouts of exercise, eating out, or travel.

·         Keep small servings of nuts or seeds on hand for quick snacks.

·         Skip empty-calorie foods such as sweetened beverages, alcohol, processed pastries, and snack foods.

Lisa Andrews, MEd, RD, LD

References:

1. National Diabetes Statistics Report | Diabetes | CDC

2. Xiao Tong Teong, Kai Liu, Andrew D. Vincent, Julien Bensalem, Bo Liu, Kathryn J. Hattersley, Lijun Zhao, Christine Feinle-Bisset, Timothy J. Sargeant, Gary A. Wittert, Amy T. Hutchison, Leonie K. Heilbronn. Intermittent fasting plus early time-restricted eating versus calorie restriction and standard care in adults at risk of type 2 diabetes: a randomized controlled trial. Nature Medicine, 2023; DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02287-7