Field Notes

Intermittent Fasting Is Safe, Effective for Those With Type 2 Diabetes

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 from researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC).

Participants who ate only during an eight-hour window between noon and 8 PM each day 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.

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, PhD, a professor of kinesiology and nutrition at UIC, says that participants in the time-restricted eating group had an easier time following the regime than those in the calorie-reducing group. The researchers believe this is partly because patients with diabetes generally are told to cut back on calories by their doctors as a first line of defense, so many of these participants likely had already tried—and struggled with—that form of dieting. And while the participants in the time-restricted eating group weren’t instructed to reduce their calorie intake, they ended up doing so by eating within a fixed window.

“Our study shows that time-restricted eating might be an effective alternative to traditional dieting for people who can’t do the traditional diet or are burned out on it,” Varady says. “For many people trying to lose weight, counting time is easier than counting calories.”

There were no serious adverse events reported during the six-month study. Occurrences of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia didn’t differ between the diet groups and control groups.

Today, one in 10 US residents has diabetes, and that number is expected to rise to one in three by 2050 if current trends continue, the researchers explain. Finding more options for controlling weight and blood sugar for these patients, therefore, is crucial.

Just over one-half the participants in the study were Black and another 40% were Hispanic. This is notable as diabetes is prevalent among those groups, so having studies that document the success of time-restricted eating for them is useful, the researchers say.

— Source: University of Illinois Chicago

 

Gay and Bisexual Adolescents Have Twice the Risk of Binge‑Eating Disorder

A new national study, published in the Journal of Eating Disorders, finds that lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adolescents in the United States are more than twice as likely to report binge eating than their heterosexual peers.

“Young people who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual may face discrimination, bullying, and stigma because of their sexual orientation. These stressors can lead to poor self-esteem and disordered eating,” says lead author Jason Nagata, MD, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. “Binge eating can result in psychological effects like depression and anxiety and long-term physical health problems including diabetes and heart disease.”

The researchers analyzed data from 10,197 adolescents aged 10 to 14 who are part of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, the largest long-term study of brain development and child health in the United States. Data was collected from 2018 to 2020. Parents answered questions about their children’s eating behaviors, and adolescents were asked about their sexual orientation.

Binge-eating disorder is characterized by frequently consuming unusually large amounts of food and feeling unable to stop eating. Binge-eating disorder is the most common eating disorder in the United States although it’s understudied and often misunderstood. The study also found that adolescent boys had 28% higher odds of binge eating than girls.

“Adolescent boys may have a drive for muscularity and larger size, which can lead to consumption of larger volumes of food,” says coauthor Kyle T. Ganson, PhD, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. “In the context of muscularity-oriented goals, boys are more likely than girls to engage in “cheat meals,” which have been linked with binge-eating episodes.”

“Adolescents with eating disorders should seek professional help. Eating disorders are best supported by an interdisciplinary team, including a mental health, medical, and nutrition provider,” Nagata says. “Given the higher risk of eating disorders in LGBTQ+ youth, it’s important that health care providers foster a welcoming environment to youth of all sexual orientations and genders.”

— Source: University of Toronto