Effect of intermittent fasting on various health parameters in obese type 2 diabetics: A pilot study

Background: Diabetes mellitus type 2 is fast becoming a cause of concern for governments world over and people at large as it has immense socio-economic impact. A diabetic patient usually goes through phases of being overweight, obese, and insulin-resistant before being classified as a patient of type 2 diabetes. Fasting, though practiced for centuries, is a novel approach for delaying progression and possibly reversing diabetes mellitus. Aim and Objectives: The aim of the study is to look for the effect of intermittent fasting on various health parameters in obese type 2 diabetics. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted at a tertiary care facility in Amritsar. Twelve obese volunteers in the age group of 20–60 years with type 2 diabetes mellitus not controlled with metformin alone were included in the study. All the participants were told to follow intermittent fasting protocol of 16:8 for a period of 4 weeks. At the beginning of the study, weight, height, body mass index, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio, fasting blood sugar, and serum insulin, were recorded in each participant. At the end of the 4 weeks period, all the measurements were repeated and compared with baseline values using the student t-test. Results: There was a highly significant decrease in the anthropometric indices and fasting blood sugar as compared to baseline values at the end of the 4-week period without any change in fasting serum insulin levels. Conclusion: There is a favorable effect of intermittent fasting on anthropometric indices and fasting blood sugar levels without any improvement in fasting serum insulin.