Lucknow: Eating within a fixed 12-hour window daily may help control diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity, according to a new study by KGMU.
Published in the Jan 2026 issue of the Indian Journal of Experimental Biology, the research done on male Wistar (albino) rats showed that time-restricted feeding (TRF) – eating within fixed time frame – improved health in obese rats.
Some benefits continued even after the rats returned to normal eating habits, known as legacy effect.
Researchers said obesity is linked to diabetes, heart disease and fatty liver. One group of male Wistar rats was given a normal diet while another was fed a high-fat and high-sugar diet for two months to induce obesity leading to fatty liver, diabetes and hypertension.
These obese rats were then allowed to eat only during a 12-hour period each day and fast for the next 12 hours for three months. It was found that regularising meal timing improved blood sugar, cholesterol, insulin and the body’s internal clock.
Later, some among them were allowed to eat freely again and observations showed that the benefits achieved earlier continued.
Lead researcher Dr Gyanendra Kumar Sonkar from the biochemistry department, KGMU, said: “Aligning food intake with the body’s internal clock reduced weight gain and improved blood sugar and cholesterol levels.”
“We are now planning human trials. If successful, it could become a simple and low-cost way to prevent lifestyle diseases,” said Dr Nazmin Fatima, also member of the team.
