Limiting eating time may improve metabolic syndrome

with adults metabolic syndrome Also, if your blood sugar levels are elevated, eating within a restricted window of time may result in small improvements in some measures, including: A1c levels, body weight, and body fat, according to a randomized controlled trial published in. Annual report of internal medicine.

In the study, participants adhered to an eight- to 10-hour eating window, an eating habit known as time-restricted eating or intermittent fasting.

“We hope that the results of this study will be helpful to people who are trying to cope with metabolic syndrome and reduce their risk of metabolic syndrome. type 2 diabetes,” said Dr. Pam R. Taub, Cardiologist at the University of California, San Diego Health System.

Taub said time-restricted eating provides an accessible, cost-effective and sustainable intervention for the average patient.

Metabolic syndrome can widen a patient's waistline and increase blood sugar, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels. Conditions affect approx. one third Americans, or about 112 million people.

Time-restricted meals and fasting create a “metabolic switch” that helps your body burn fat. ketonessaid Dr. Mark P. Mattsonadjunct professor in the Department of Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. “Ketone bodies have significant effects on the neuroendocrine system, including decreasing appetite.”

To determine the effectiveness of time-restricted eating, Taub and colleagues looked at data from 54 participants who completed a 12-week intervention. Adults were eligible if they had metabolic syndrome as well as elevated A1c (5.7% to 7.0%) or fasting blood glucose levels (5.56 to 6.95 mmol/L), similar to prediabetes. Controlled drug use was permitted.

The standard treatment group (n = 54) received nutritional counseling from a registered dietitian. Participants in the intermittent group also received the intervention, but were also instructed to eat within eight to 10 hours and to stop eating three hours before bedtime.

Baseline levels of glycemic control were similar between groups. Medication use was similar, with 6% of participants taking them. metformin prediabetes, 48% had hyperlipidemia, and 69% were taking at least one medication for cardiometabolic health. The overall body mass index (BMI) of the participants was 31.22, the average age was 56 years, and just over half were female.

The primary outcomes were A1c and glycemic parameters, including fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, and homeostasis model assessment. insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Includes secondary results lipid profileC-reactive protein (CRP), and core fat.

After 3 months from baseline, A1c decreased by 0.12% in the time-restricted meal group, compared to a decrease of 0.02 in the standard-of-care group, a relative decrease of -1.7 (between-group difference) [BGD]-0.10%. 95% CI, -0.19% to -0.003%).

Fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, and HOMA-IR all showed greater reductions in the time-restricted diet group than in the standard-of-care group, but these were not statistically significant.

The group with restricted meal times also had significantly lower body weight (BGD, -1.66, 95% CI, -3.00 to -0.32) and BMI (BGD, -0.77, 95% CI, -) than the standard treatment group. showed a significant decrease. 1.37 to -0.17). Body fat and core fat were also reduced more in the group that restricted their meal times.

The researchers observed no significant changes in total lean body mass or total bone mineral density between groups, indicating that intermittent fasting is a safe intervention to reduce body weight and A1c levels. Taub said.

“this [study] “This is consistent with other studies showing benefits of intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating.” Dr. Mir Alibariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center in Fountain Valley, California.

What Ali said the most general form of Intermittent fasting is an 8-hour grace period, and research shows that help patient lower back glucose metabolism.

“For most people, it's easiest to do part of this time at night, because a significant portion of this time is spent asleep,” he said. “Of course, choosing the right foods is the most important thing for weight loss.”

Mattson said he wonders if eating less time could lead to greater health improvements. for example, Other research It has been shown that shorter feeding windows have greater success.

“They found much clearer and more significant effects on insulin sensitivity and body fat than in this study,” Mattsson said.

Dr. Naisha IsomThe family medicine physician and founder of Isom MD, a primary care clinic in Las Vegas, said teaching patients to finish eating three hours before bedtime is particularly relevant to clinical practice. .

“Additional evidence showing that avoiding late-night meals can help with blood sugar control and fat loss may give physicians clear, evidence-based nutritional recommendations for their patients,” he said. They noted that physicians should include nutritional recommendations in their core curriculum for patients.

and obesity Insulin resistance is on the rise in the United States, and evidence-based advice on time-restricted eating can be easily incorporated into routine visits or added to post-visit summaries, Isom said. Ta.

“Even if a doctor is not a nutrition expert, even a simple advice to avoid eating late at night can have a significant impact on a patient's health,” she says.

Study authors did not report relevant financial disclosures. The research was funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Translational Research Institute, the Salk Institute Cancer Center, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and others.

Lisa M. Basil, MFA, is an award-nominated health writer and author.