A study by Johns Hopkins Medicine and NIH’s National Institute on Aging on 40 older adults with obesity and insulin resistance found that both intermittent fasting and a USDA-approved healthy diet improved brain function and metabolic health, with intermittent fasting showing slightly better results in cognitive improvements. Researchers from Johns Hopkins Medicine and the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health report findings from their study involving 40 older adults with obesity and insulin resistance. Participants were randomly assigned to follow either an intermittent fasting regimen or a standard healthy diet endorsed by the U.
S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The study provides significant insights into the potential brain health benefits of both dietary approaches.
Insulin resistance is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes and is common in people with obesity. Studies suggest that people with insulin resistance are at higher risk than usual for Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive impairments. As a result, various weight loss regimens figure widely as ways to reduce the risk of these metabolic and brain disorders.
Study Findings and Methodology Previous Johns Hopkins research on animal models of diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease showed that intermittent fasting can improve cognition and insulin sensitivity. The new study, published June 19 in Cell Metabolism , tested the effects of intermittent fasting on women and men at risk for cogniti.
