Research Area
Diabetes

Grant Type
Fellowship

Year
2017

Abstract

Aside from drug treatment, a major component of prevention and therapeutic strategies is weight loss through long-term reduction in energy intake and an increase in physical activity. Although this is effective, if is very hard to maintain long-term. Thus, new options for lifestyle modifications,other than a primary focus on long-term caloric restriction, are needed to help prevent andtreattype 2 diabetes(T2DM). Chronic circadian rhythm disruption predisposes to metabolic diseases including T2DM and obesity. Conversely, maintaining a daily rhythm of feeding and fasting sustains a robust circadian rhythm in metabolism. This proposal builds on published data in pre-clinical animal models that demonstrates Time-Restricted Feeding (TRF) for 8-12 h, without an overt attempt to change nutrition quality or quantity, is both preventative and therapeutic for metabolic diseases. This study will test the hypothesis that 10-hourTRF will result in improvements in glucose homeostasis, insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance, muscle function, cardiovascular health, and weight loss. If we find this hypothesis to be true, it could have very substantial impact on our current approach to prevent and treat T2DM. Currently healthy people could potentially prevent ever developing metabolic dysfunction by adopting TRF, while those with prediabetes may be able to prevent the progression to manifest T2DM, or even completely reverse it