Reducing Caloric Intake Particularly in One Type of Diet May Optimize Weight Loss for Diabetes Management
A new study conducted at The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, China, has tested three methods of energy restriction for weight loss and blood glucose control in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes. The findings, presented at ENDO 2025, suggest that the 5:2 diet, a form of intermittent energy restriction, may offer distinct benefits for managing weight and blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
The 5:2 diet, which involves eating normally for five days and calorie restriction on two non-consecutive days, showed greater benefits in reducing fasting blood glucose, improving insulin sensitivity, lowering triglycerides, and achieving higher compliance. The study recruited 90 people with type 2 diabetes and obesity, with a mean age of 36.8 years and a mean duration of type 2 diabetes of 1.5 years.
The study found that all three groups lost weight and showed better blood glucose control by the end of the 16-week study. However, the 5:2 diet appeared to offer greater advantages in these areas compared to time-restricted eating and continuous energy restriction.
One of the key advantages of the 5:2 diet is its flexibility and potential for higher compliance. Dr. Zhang, one of the study's lead researchers, recommended the 5:2 diet due to its more adherable nature compared to continuous energy restriction (CER) or time-restricted eating (TRE). The intermittent nature of the 5:2 approach may facilitate sustained long-term lifestyle changes compared to daily calorie restriction, which can be harder to maintain.
Dr. Cutler, another researcher involved in the study, emphasised the importance of consulting a dietitian when choosing a weight-loss regime. For those who want more structure, Dr. Cutler recommended trying any form of intermittent fasting or specific calorie restriction which is most appealing to them.
It's important to note that the findings of the study are yet to appear in a peer-reviewed journal. Further research is needed to assess the generalizability of these dietary approaches in diverse populations, including varying ages, ethnicities, and diabetes durations.
Type 2 diabetes is a condition where a person's cells stop responding to insulin, resulting in uncontrolled blood glucose levels. Weight loss can help manage the symptoms of type 2 diabetes and may even reverse the condition in some people. The study's results suggest that the 5:2 diet could be a useful tool in this fight against type 2 diabetes and obesity.
In summary, the 5:2 diet is advantageous for people with type 2 diabetes because it not only supports weight loss and blood sugar control but also has better adherence rates due to its intermittent, less restrictive nature. This makes it a preferable and scientifically supported strategy for energy restriction in this population. Psychological and behavioral factors affecting adherence to IER, TRE, and CER should be explored to optimise patient support and intervention design in future studies.
- The 5:2 diet, which includes eating normally for five days and calorie restriction on two non-consecutive days, showed greater benefits in reducing fasting blood glucose, improving insulin sensitivity, lowering triglycerides, and achieving higher compliance in individuals with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
- All three groups in the study lost weight and showed better blood glucose control by the end of the 16-week study, but the 5:2 diet offered greater advantages compared to time-restricted eating and continuous energy restriction.
- One of the key advantages of the 5:2 diet is its flexibility and potential for higher compliance, making it more adherable than continuous energy restriction or time-restricted eating.
- For those who want more structure, it's recommended to consult a dietitian and try any form of intermittent fasting or specific calorie restriction that is most appealing to them.
- Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease where cells stop responding to insulin, resulting in uncontrolled blood glucose levels. Weight loss can help manage symptoms of type 2 diabetes and may even reverse the condition in some people, making the 5:2 diet a possible tool in the fight against type 2 diabetes and obesity.
- Further research is necessary to assess the generalizability of these dietary approaches in diverse populations and to explore psychological and behavioral factors affecting adherence to intermittent energy restriction, time-restricted eating, and continuous energy restriction to optimize patient support and intervention design in future studies.
