A new study reveals that intermittent energy restriction (IER), time-restricted eating (TRE), and continuous energy restriction (CER) all help improve blood sugar and body weight in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes. The findings were presented Sunday at ENDO 2025, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco.
The research, led by Dr. Haohao Zhang from The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University in China, is the first to directly compare these three dietary approaches in managing type 2 diabetes alongside obesity.
While all groups showed improved HbA1c levels and similar rates of mild side effects, the IER group demonstrated greater benefits. They had bigger drops in fasting blood glucose, better insulin sensitivity, lower triglycerides, and higher adherence to the diet plans.
Dr. Zhang explained, “This study fills a gap by comparing 5:2 intermittent energy restriction with 10-hour time-restricted eating in patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes. It offers clear evidence to help doctors choose the right diet strategy for these patients.”
The trial was conducted at Zhengzhou University’s hospital from November 2021 to November 2024. Ninety patients were split evenly into three groups: IER, TRE, and CER. All groups had the same weekly calorie intake and were supervised by nutritionists for 16 weeks.
Of the 90 participants, 63 completed the study—18 women and 45 men, averaging 36.8 years old. They had lived with diabetes for about 1.5 years, with an average BMI of 31.7 and baseline HbA1c of 7.42%.
By the end of the study, the reduction in HbA1c and weight loss was similar across the groups, but the IER group showed the largest absolute decreases. This group also had the most significant drop in fasting blood glucose and triglycerides, along with improved insulin sensitivity measured by the Matsuda index.
No significant changes were seen in uric acid or liver enzyme levels in any group.
Mild hypoglycemia occurred in two patients from the IER and TRE groups each, and three patients in the CER group.
Adherence rates were highest in the IER group at 85%, followed by CER at 84%, and TRE at 78%. The difference between IER and TRE was statistically significant.
Dr. Zhang emphasized that these results highlight how effective and practical dietary interventions can be for people with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
You Might Also Like
Tirzepatide Tops Effectiveness in Managing Type 2 Diabetes, Study Finds
One in Three Teens in U.S. Now Have Prediabetes, CDC Reports
