Fitness And Health

The TV doctor wants people to try a method that can also help with weight loss

A Channel 4 documentary has revealed a simple habit that could help you lose weight and reduce your risk of diabetes. The change can be easy to make, and in fact, you may unknowingly be doing it already.

Doctor Rangan Chatterjee, a best-selling author and former NHS doctor, has recommended adopting a simple ’12-hour’ eating window. This lifestyle and diet change was suggested on the Channel 4 programme, Live Well with the Drug-Free Doctor.

On the show, the doctor explained that people wanting to improve their health should eat “all the food that you are going to consume in any given day within a 12-hour time period.” The approach not only helps curb snacking but may also boost fat burning, lower the risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes and much more.

The doctor said: “Let’s say you finish consuming your final meal of the day at 7pm. For the next four hours, you are utilising the fuel that you just ate in that last meal, especially glucose.

“After four hours, and while you are sleeping, your body runs on glycogen stored in your liver. But here’s the thing, once you get to about 10 hours or so after your last meal, those glycogen stores are pretty much depleted, and you’re likely to be burning fat.

“Being able to switch up using these different energy sources is called metabolic flexibility – a key indicator in life expectancy. Studies show that time-restricted eating can help you burn fat and lose weight, improve your sleep, improve your digestion, improve immune system function and reduce your risk of getting diseases like type 2 diabetes.”

The late Doctor Michael Mosley, in an episode of his Just One Thing podcast on BBC Radio 4, also advocated for this approach, once saying: “If you want to lose a bit of weight and improve your metabolic health, change your meal times.

“That means having breakfast a bit later and your evening meal a bit earlier. It’s also known as time-restricted eating, and I would recommend you start by trying to eat all your meals within a 12-hour window.”

In addition to these experts, a study published in the Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition noted that time-restricted eating (TRE) “represents a promising dietary intervention for adults with overweight and obesity.”

It further shared its findings, having noted this approach “can induce significant weight loss and improve cardiometabolic parameters (e.g., blood glucose and lipid profiles) in the short to medium term.”

Is intermittent fasting healthy?

As for the question of whether intermittent fasting is healthy, experts at Bupa explained: “The idea behind intermittent fasting is that it gives your body a break from digesting food. This can potentially lead you to have less calories than if you were eating more regularly.

“Also, eating less often can have positive effects on your blood sugar levels, which can be useful if you have prediabetes or type two diabetes.”

The report further explained that this type of fasting can initiate a process known as autophagy, where the body eliminates damaged cells. This occurs when the body isn’t preoccupied with digestion, and there’s some evidence suggesting that autophagy may lower the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases, although further research is required.

Bupa also highlighted other potential benefits such as enhanced gut health, improved sleep quality, and reduced cardiovascular risk factors like decreased blood pressure and inflammation markers, which are associated with numerous chronic diseases. These findings align with Dr Chatterjee’s assertions.

Will you try this new 12-hour rule? Maybe you do it already. Let us know in the comments what you think.