Delayed Breakfast May Curb Blood Sugar Spikes in Type 2 Diabetes

Summary: One of the latest studies shows that even a simple measure of delayed breakfast is sufficient to reduce blood glucose spikes. Further, walking for 20 minutes after breakfast may have added benefits.

 Diabetes, obesity, hypertension, metabolic disorders, and various lifestyle disorders occur due to an accumulative adverse effect of multiple things that a person has been doing wrongly over the years. It also means that reversing metabolic disorders like diabetes is only possible through making different small changes in lifestyle.

Interestingly, some of those changes are pretty simple to implement. Thus, one of the new studies shows that simply delaying breakfast may help reduce insulin resistance and blood glucose levels in those living with type 2 diabetes. One may even get better results by walking briefly after breakfast.

It is vital to remember that lifestyle disorders cannot be cured through some single measure. However, significant benefits can be experienced by making lots of smaller changes. These changes include minor dietary changes, food habits, changing eating timing, exercising, reducing stress, and more.

If one introduces many small lifestyle changes, they might have a massive accumulative effect. Moreover, these lifestyle changes are not just good for those living with diabetes, as they may help reverse or reduce the severity of most metabolic disorders. Various metabolic disorders are interconnected, and taking steps to manage one of them would help manage others.

Moreover, these small steps are not essentially for those living with type 2 diabetes. They may also benefit those living with prediabetes and obesity. They are simple but effective measures to prevent these chronic health issues.

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In this study published in the journal Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews, eleven participants were enrolled. These were individuals living with type 2 diabetes with an average age of 57 years.

Participants were first given breakfast early at 7 am during this six-week study. After a few days, breakfast was delayed to 9:30 am and then to 12:00. Their blood glucose was monitored closely during their study. 

Researchers found that the simple act of delaying breakfast by even one and a half hours was enough to reduce blood glucose spikes. These blood glucose spikes were even lower in those who had breakfast at 12:00. Additionally, they noted that 20 minutes of walking after breakfast was quite good for reducing blood glucose spikes.

Of course, this will not cause a significant decline in blood glucose, but it can have a small and measurable effect. Since these measures are quite simple to introduce, they are worth trying.

There are many such small methods that may help manage diabetes or even reverse it. For a few weeks, one may consider a very low-calorie diet, high-intensity exercise, increased protein intake, and consumption of slow-absorbing carbs. Avoiding freshly cooked rice, white bread, and pasta can also help. Thus, instead of eating freshly prepared pizza, keeping it overnight and then reheating it may result in less prominent blood glucose spikes.

Modern lifestyle is quite comfortable, and most people have excessive calorie intake and low physical activity levels. Hence, it is vital to introduce different big and small lifestyle changes to prevent and reverse metabolic disorders.

Source:

Bravo-Garcia, A. P., Reddy, A. J., Radford, B. E., Hawley, J. A., & Parr, E. B. (2024). Modifying the timing of breakfast improves postprandial glycaemia in people with type 2 diabetes: A randomised controlled trial. Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews, 18(11), 103157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsx.2024.103157