The theory is supported by a study, just published in the journal JAMA Network Open, made by researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago. The scientists gathered 75 participants, whom they divided into three groups: one group followed intermittent fasting with a meal window between 12:00 and 20:00 (16:8 fasting) without calorie restrictions, the second group had to reduce the amount of daily calories by 25%, and the third group served as a control. Over the next 6 months, the participants’ weight, waist circumference, blood sugar levels and other health indicators were measured.
Both study groups had similar reductions in long-term blood sugar levels, as measured by a hemoglobin A1C test (which shows blood sugar levels over the past three months), but the first group (the fasting group) lost more in weight.
The reasons were also of a “psychological”-practical nature. According to the researchers, the individuals who followed the intermittent fasting still ate less, even though it was not prescribed, the others had some difficulties to follow a “traditional” hypocaloric diet. “Our study shows that time-restricted eating could be an effective alternative for people who cannot stick to a diet,” said the study’s lead author, Krista Varady. “For many, measuring time is easier than counting calories,” he concludes.
The determining factor that makes fasting a safe alternative: No serious adverse events were reported during the six-month study, and the occurrence of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) did not differ between diet and control groups.
In addition, just over half of the study participants were black and another 40% were Hispanic, which is remarkable because diabetes is particularly prevalent among these groups. The researchers concluded their note by reminding that people suffering from type 2 diabetes should consult their doctor before starting this type of diet.
Excluding the categories of people who suffer from a certain pathology, intermittent fasting in the society of abundance and junk food is useful (especially because of the caloric restriction that this practice entails): specialists show that it reduces the risk factors for typical chronic diseases of our age (cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes 2, tumors and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s), because they activate specific responses that reduce the indicators of the inflammatory state and those related to a higher cardiovascular risk.
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2023-10-29 04:40:00
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