Late Breakfast May Increase Type 2 Diabetes Risk

New study links lower insulin resistance and lower type 2 diabetes to eating in the early morning hours (before 8-30 am).

Dr. Marriam Ali, lead researcher, says, "We found people who started eating earlier in the day had lower blood sugar levels and less insulin resistance, regardless of whether they restricted their food intake to less than 10 hours a day."

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‘People who fasted were less responsive to insulin’
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The research team examined data from 10,575 American adults to determine whether a pattern between meal timing and levels of blood sugar and insulin exists. Participants were categorized into three groups based on total duration of food intake - a) less than 10 hours, b) 10-13 hours, and c) more than 13 hours per day.

Insulin resistance occurs when our body doesn’t respond properly to the insulin produced by the pancreas and a limited amount of glucose enters the cells. It is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

Fasting blood sugar levels did not have a substantial difference among eating interval groups, while insulin resistance was higher with shorter eating interval duration, but lower for all groups who ate before 8.30 a.m.

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However, findings of the study revealed that intermittent fasting (eating during a limited window of 10 hours or less each day) was associated with higher insulin resistance, i.e., people who fasted were less responsive to insulin. People who had their first meal before 8-30 am had lower levels of insulin resistance and lower blood sugar levels, regardless of whether they fasted or not.

Both high blood sugar levels and insulin resistance affect a person's metabolism, and when these processes become disrupted, metabolic disorders like diabetes occur.

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"These findings suggest that timing is more strongly associated with metabolic measures than duration and support early eating strategies," Ali said.

Bonnie Taub-Dix, dietician, explains that although breakfast isn't necessarily the most important meal of the day, it can make it easier to keep your energy stable throughout the day. She recommends people start their day with a combination of protein, healthy fats, and fiber from unprocessed whole foods like yogurt with fruit and nuts, or eggs with vegetables and whole-wheat toast.

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She adds that skimping on breakfast by relying just on coffee (which can disrupt blood sugar) or convenient processed foods like donuts is the biggest mistake people make.

Source-Medindia