Two Meals a Day More Effective for People with Type 2 Diabetes

Researchers have found that eating two meals a day might be more effective for people with type 2 diabetes. The results indicate that it is a better choice to eat two hearty meals a day instead of eating regular meals, with smaller portions, according to scientists. Suggested meals are breakfast and lunch.

The study was conducted by researchers in Prague that fed two groups of 27 people each. Both were given the same calorie diet that was distributed over two or six meals each day. From their study the researchers found that the volunteers that were only given two meals a day lost more weight compared to those that had six meals during the day. Their blood sugar also dropped.

The experts are now saying that the study supported the existing evidence – that larger, yet fewer meals are the way to move forward.

What is type 2 diabetes?

Insulin is the hormone that controls the amount of sugar in a person’s blood. When a person has type 2 diabetes, the body is not producing enough insulin, hence the level of sugar in the blood remains unchecked and becomes quite high. There are many complications that result when type 2 diabetes is left untreated. It can lead to kidney disease, eyes that are sensitive to light, nerve damage as well as stroke and heart disease.

Statistics

In the United Kingdom, about 90% of the 2.9 million people affected by diabetes have the type 2 form. In the United States the figures are even larger, with about 24 million children and adults having type 2 diabetes.

In the UK, the current advice for people with type 2 diabetes is to eat three healthy meals a day, with healthy snacks in between. Dr. Richard Elliot from Diabetes UK said that it will need larger studies undertaken for longer periods as conclusive evidence to back up the recent findings will be needed before the change in advice can be implemented.

Methodology

The scientists from Prague’s Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine have taken 54 volunteers and divided the group equally. These are people between the ages of 30 and 70 that were affected by type 2 diabetes. The groups were then given either a two-meal diet they labeled as B2 followed by a six-meal diet labeled A6 for 12 weeks or vice versa.
Each diet meal contained 1,700 calories each day. The eating of the meals were scheduled. The A6 group ate their meals throughout the day while the B2 group had their first meal between 6:00 am and 10:00 am and between 12:00 noon and 4:00 pm.

On the average, the B2 group displayed a weight loss of about 3 lbs. or 1.4 kg. more than what the A6 group lost. Their waistlines were also trimmed down by about 4 centimeters or 1.5 inches.

The study also surprised those in the B2 group as they did not feel hungry at all despite just having two meals. Dr. Hana Kahleova, the lead scientist in the study said that the results were very pleasing and that the diet will also be effective for those that want to lose weight.

Image credit: Good Food Display – NCI Visuals Online taken by National Cancer Institute under Public Domain.