If you’re living with type 2 diabetes and struggling to lose weight, a new study suggests that skipping breakfast might be the answer.
The study, which was shared at a recent meeting of the American Society for Nutrition in Boston, shows that eating only between noon and 8 p.m. could help you shed more pounds than counting calories.
Less Time Eating, More Weight Lost
Most of us have heard that losing weight involves counting calories. But this study shows that watching the clock, not the calories, might be a simpler way to lose weight.
The lead researcher, Vicky Pavlou, a doctoral student at the University of Illinois at Chicago, said that many people find counting calories hard to keep up with.
But with this method, known as “time-restricted eating”, all you have to do is eat only within an eight-hour window.
This approach is gaining popularity, but no one had studied how it might work for people with type 2 diabetes until now. And the results were promising.
The Study and its Findings
The research team, led by Krista Varady, a nutrition professor, studied 75 people with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
The participants, who were from a range of racial and ethnic backgrounds and aged between 18 and 80, were split into three groups.
The first group followed the time-restricted eating plan, eating only between noon and 8 p.m. The second group counted their calories and aimed to eat 25% less than what they needed to maintain their weight.
They could eat at any time of the day and used a mobile app to track their calorie intake. The third group didn’t change their diet.
After six months, the results showed that the people who followed the time-restricted eating plan had lost 3.55% of their body weight. In contrast, those in the calorie counting group didn’t lose any weight.
Both the time-restricted and the calorie counting groups had similar improvements in their blood sugar levels, which were better than the group that didn’t change their diet.
Time-Restricted Eating: A Possible Solution?
Although the weight loss didn’t reach the 5% mark usually needed to improve heart health, the researchers say time-restricted eating could still be a good alternative for those with type 2 diabetes who want to lose weight and improve their blood sugar.
But there are some things to keep in mind. Different diabetes medications work in different ways and some can cause low blood sugar.
Also, some medications need to be taken with food. So if you’re thinking about trying this approach, it’s important to talk with your doctor or a dietitian first.
It’s also important to note that these findings are still in the early stages and need to be confirmed by other studies.
So for now, if you have type 2 diabetes and want to lose weight, talk to your healthcare provider about whether time-restricted eating could be right for you.
And remember, no matter what diet plan you follow, eating healthy, balanced meals and staying active are still key to managing your diabetes and your overall health.
If you care about weight loss, please read studies about popular weight loss diets linked to heart disease and cancer, and this exercise has unique benefits for weight loss.
For more information about weight loss, please see recent studies that green diet can reduce belly fat much better, and newest diabetes drugs may lower body weight and blood sugar.
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