Is Intermittent fasting safe and effective for Type 2 diabetes? Here is what research says!

Time-restricted eating, also known as intermittent fasting, can help people with Type 2 diabetes lose weight and control their blood sugar levels, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open by researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago.

Participants who ate only during an eight-hour window between noon and 8 p.m. each day actually lost more weight over six months than participants who were instructed to reduce their calorie intake by 25%. Both groups had similar reductions in long-term blood sugar levels, as measured by a test of hemoglobin A1C, which shows blood sugar levels over the past three months.

The study was conducted at UIC and enrolled 75 participants into three groups: those who followed the time-restricted eating rules, those who reduced calories and a control group. Participants’ weight, waist circumference, blood sugar levels and other health indicators were measured over the course of six months.

Senior author Krista Varady said that participants in the time-restricted eating group had an easier time following the regime than those in the calorie-reducing group. There were no serious adverse events reported during the six-month study. Occurrences of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) did not differ between the diet groups and control groups.

Ref: Effect of Time-Restricted Eating on Weight Loss in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes A Randomized Clinical Trial, JAMA Network Open, DOI 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.39337