June 21, 2024

expert reaction to study looking at a 5:2 intermittent fasting meal replacement diet and glycemic control in people with diabetes

A study published in JAMA Network Open looks at the 5:2 intermittent fasting diet and glycemic control in diabetes. 

Prof Naveed Sattar, Professor of Cardiometabolic Medicine/Honorary Consultant, University of Glasgow, said:

“This trial is relatively simple and shows what we already know – that weight excess is the key driver for diabetes and thus weight loss improves glucose levels meaningfully.  It is therefore no surprise that the greater weight loss in the 5:2 group was associated with somewhat better glucose control than drug treatments.  The issue is whether such changes and the 5:2 diets are sustainable, especially as the trial was rather short term – only 6 months long – with greater than expected weight losses in all three arms, based on existing literature.”

‘A 5:2 Intermittent Fasting Meal Replacement Diet and Glycemic Control for Adults With Diabetes: The EARLY Randomized Clinical Trial’ by Lixin Guo et al. was published in JAMA Network Open at 16:00 UK time on Friday 21 June 2024.

DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.16786

Declared interests

Prof Naveed Sattar: “NS has consulted for and/or received speaker honoraria from Abbott Laboratories, AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Hanmi Pharmaceuticals, Janssen, Menarini-Ricerche, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Roche Diagnostics, and Sanofi; and received grant support paid to his University from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, and Roche Diagnostics outside the submitted work.  NS has also helped design several trials of lifestyle or low calorie diets interventions in diabetes and other conditions.”