An innovative new study will investigate whether changing our meal times to earlier or later in the day can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Under the direction of Dr. Denise Robertson, Professor Jonathan Johnston, and Postgraduate Researcher Shantel Lynch of the University of Surrey, the study described in the Nutrition Bulletin examines whether changing the time of day can reduce risk factors such as obesity and obesity, cholesterol levels that are typically associated with developing type- 2 diabetes. For the first time in a series of interviews with participants and their friends and family, the research team will examine the impact such changes have on the home life, professional / social engagement and roommates of those who make such changes affect their own meal times / Change eating habits as a result.
During the unique 10-week study, 51 participants between the ages of 18 and 65 who were found to be at increased / medium / high risk of developing type 2 diabetes will be divided into three groups. The first, a control group, is asked not to change their eating habits. The second group must limit their meal times to 7am to 3pm during the day. and the third group will limit their meal time to between 12pm and 8pm.
Participants will regularly attend the Surrey Clinical Investigations Unit to monitor their blood pressure, waist and hip measurements, and to provide blood and urine samples. A registered dietitian also uses special eye-tracking devices to analyze participants’ gaze direction and to identify and monitor changes in food preferences over the course of the intervention. Previous studies have shown that the direction in which the eye is looking is a strong signal for attention and preference behavior.
Researchers will examine the results of such visits in detail to determine whether changing the time at which meals are taken earlier or later in the day may reduce the risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes.
The study’s lead scientist, Dr. Denise Robertson, nutritional physiology consultant at the University of Surrey, said: “Type 2 diabetes is a growing problem in the UK. Over three million people are diagnosed and 12.3 million people are at potential risk of developing the disease. ” This can increase the likelihood of serious problems with our eyes, heart, and nervous system.
“Public health initiatives are often introduced with a prevention focus, but they have had limited success. We need to take different approaches to preventing this condition. A simple solution to this could be to change the way we eat and reduce risk factors related to the development of type 2 diabetes. “
PGR student and registered nutritionist Shantel Lynch said, “Treating type 2 diabetes and its complications puts a tremendous burden on the NHS. To alleviate that burden, greater emphasis needs to be placed on prevention and control Areas are laid out, which are often lifestyle choices that lead to the development of the condition.
“The potential benefits of changing meal times, such as weight loss, have become increasingly topical in nutritional research. However, there are still many unanswered questions and we hope to contribute to this area of research as we see if one Time-limited feeding is possible to help reduce the risk of developing long-term diseases like type 2 diabetes and how feasible it is to follow this diet in real life. “
Jonathan Johnston, Professor of Chronobiology and Integrative Physiology at the University of Surrey, said, “Changing our meal times limits our energy intake to a set number of hours a day, resulting in an extension of the daily fast, which is usually overnight, according to a study will help us understand what time of day is the best time to reduce our chances of developing type 2 diabetes.
“We will also, for the first time, examine the effects of limited-time feeding on individual work, social and domestic life to understand the barriers people encounter in adapting to new meal times that can affect their ability to stick to the schedule. ”
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