News

Study shows benefits of fasting on type 2 diabetes

A new study has revealed that intermittent energy restriction (IER), time-restricted eating (TRE) and continuous energy restriction (CER) can all improve blood sugar levels and body weight in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Ninety patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to the three groups, and were monitored by a team of nutritionists over a 16-week period. Of those enrolled, 63 completed the study.

The IER group showed greater advantages in reducing fasting blood glucose, improving insulin sensitivity and lowering triglycerides. Also, the participants in this group adhered to the guidelines the most out of all three groups.

Haohao Zhang, Ph.D., chief physician at The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University in Zhengzhou, China, said: “The research fills a gap in directly comparing 5:2 intermittent energy restriction with a 10-hour time-restricted eating in patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes. The findings provide scientific evidence for clinicians to choose appropriate dietary strategies when treating such patients.”

The findings were presented at ENDO 2025, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco, California.

Survey sheds light on our healthy spending habits

A new survey suggests that Brits spend over £2,000 a year (£184 a month) on “healthy lifestyle” products, in a bid to make them feel and look better.

The data, compiled by meal delivery service Green Chef, also showed that men spend more on health and wellness a month – £199 on average, as opposed to £169 which was the average for women. Almost half (48%) of the 2,000 Britons surveyed admitted that they prioritise things like supplements over eating a healthy diet, rich in vitamins, proteins and good fats. Almost a third (30%) said they don’t pay enough attention to their diet, with many consuming sugars and refined carbohydrates on a daily basis, such as crisps (52%), sweets and chocolates (44%), white bread (44%), and fast food (41%).

Expert nutritionist Lily Keeling commented: “Having a wellness goal gives your self-care routine a purpose, but it can be really overwhelming when we’re faced with so many products that claim to be solutions. We often spend time thinking about what we can remove from our diet, but as a nutritionist, I prefer to focus on the foods you can add into your routine. For example, you can maintain a sustained energy release by switching to wholegrains instead of white bread and white pasta, which contain fibre and protein for slow-release energy, and a top tip to improve digestion is cooling down starchy foods, such as bread or pasta, before eating them to increase their fibre content. My favourite thing about seeing food as part of your wellness routine is that healthy foods can be really delicious, and there can be a lot of enjoyment in it too.”

Exercise improves sleep, research shows

A new study published in BMJ Evidence Based Medicine has found that yoga, t'ai chi, walking and jogging are some of the best natural ways to improve sleep and tackle insomnia. While cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) was found to be effective, exercise-based approaches, especially tai chi, demonstrated significant improvements in total sleep time, efficiency and reducing how long people stayed awake after falling asleep. Yoga stood out for boosting overall restfulness, and jogging helped to ease insomnia symptoms.

Study reveals the effects of climate change on crops

According to new research, a combination of higher atmospheric CO2 and hotter temperatures is reducing the nutritional quality of food crops, prompting concerns that this could have serious implications for our health and wellbeing.

For the project, a range of crops such as kale, rocket and spinach, were grown in environment-controlled growth chambers. The CO2 and temperature levels were changed to simulate the UK’s predicted future climate scenarios. The nutritional quality of the crops was then analysed to measure concentrations of sugar, protein, phenolics, flavonoids, vitamins and antioxidants.

Preliminary results from this project suggest that elevated levels of atmospheric CO2 can help crops to grow faster and bigger, but certainly not healthier.

Jiata Ugwah Ekele, a PhD student at Liverpool John Moores University who led the study, explained: “After some time, the crops showed a reduction in key minerals like calcium and certain antioxidant compounds. This altered balance could contribute to diets that are higher in calories but poorer in nutritional value. Increased sugar content in crops, especially fruits and vegetables, could lead to greater risks of obesity and type 2 diabetes, particularly in populations already struggling with non-communicable diseases.”

Ms Ekele and her team are open to collaborating further on this project with the wider research community, including those from agriculture, nutrition and climate policy. She added: “It’s important to connect plant science with broader issues of human wellbeing. As the climate continues to change, we must think holistically about the kind of food system we’re building – one that not only produces enough food, but also promotes health, equity, and resilience. Food is more than just calories; it’s a foundation for human development and climate adaptation.”

Rethinking organic

Organic September is best known for spotlighting sustainable food choices, but the benefits of going organic extend beyond your weekly shop. From cotton pads to tampons, choosing organic products helps protect not only your health but also the planet and the farmers behind the materials.

Cotton is the most heavily pesticide-sprayed crop, accounting for 10% of global insecticide use. However, organic farming avoids the use of hazardous pesticides from entering the soil.

Furthermore, it guarantees farmers freedom of crop choice, the ability to save seeds, and women farmers and cotton pickers on organic farms gain their own income at a fair wage. Independent income is important for female farmers, and has hugely beneficial knock-on effects on the education and livelihoods of their children and the whole community.

Recent studies by the Pesticide Action Network have found detectable levels of glyphosate more than 40 times the limit for safe drinking water in a brand of non-organic tampons. Glyphosate is a common weedkiller and has been declared by the World Health Organization as a probable carcinogen. Absorption rates from internal exposure in the vagina are thought to be 10 to 80 times higher than through the skin on the surface of the body.

Natracare, the leading brand in organic and natural certified, disposable period care, believes this new study should encourage more regulatory standards for consumers to make better informed choices.

Study shows promise for teens’ mental health

A mental health hack designed to promote mental wellbeing could alter how teenagers view themselves, a new study has showed.

The research, from the University of East Anglia, demonstrated that watching a one-off ten-minute video positively changed young people’s beliefs about their personality traits. But the intervention appeared to have little immediate effect on symptoms of anxiety or depression. The findings add to a growing body of evidence that mental health support delivered online can play a valuable role but may work best as part of a broader toolkit of services.

The research team tested an intervention based on growth mindset principles – the belief that personal traits and abilities can change over time. More than 100 teens were recruited and were randomly assigned to either complete a mindset intervention or join a waitlist control group. They were asked to report their levels of anxiety, depression, and psychological flexibility, as well as their beliefs about personality, before the session and again one month later.

Dr Kenny Chiu, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “Mental health conditions affect one in seven young people globally. In the UK, around one in five young people have probable mental health disorders, yet 75 per cent of them are not receiving any support. This study shows early promise in implementing a low-cost and scalable way to support young people’s psychological development.” The findings were published in the journal JCPP Advances.