Eating only 8 hours a day may help control Type 1 diabetes — SkimNews
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- University of Illinois Chicago researchers enrolled 32 adults with Type 1 diabetes and obesity in the first randomized trial testing intermittent fasting in this population, assigning participants to an 8-hour eating window, a 25% calorie cut, or a control group for six months.
- The time-restricted eating group, eating only between noon and 8 p.m. without counting calories, saw HbA1c drop by about 0.5% on average — outperforming the calorie-restriction group.
- The approach showed no increase in dangerously high or low blood sugar levels or diabetic ketoacidosis, addressing a key safety concern for T1D patients.
- Krista Varady, the lead researcher and longtime intermittent fasting expert, called the results "extremely promising" but urged patients to work with their endocrinologist before changing eating habits.
- The study appeared in the journal Diabetes Care in 2026, and Varady plans larger multi-site trials to confirm the findings in a broader population.
Why it matters: For the roughly 0.5% of U.S. adults living with both Type 1 diabetes and obesity, this UIC trial provides initial data showing an 8-hour eating window can improve blood sugar without raising the risk of ketoacidosis. The 32-person, single-site design means endocrinologist-guided replication is essential before any clinical recommendation.
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