Guest Information
Prof. James Betts, PhD
James Betts is Professor of Metabolic Physiology at the University of Bath, where he is Co-Director of the Centre for Nutrition, Exercise & Metabolism and Chair of the Department for Health Research Ethics Committee.
His research employs randomised controlled trials to study the effects of nutrition on metabolic regulation, the findings of which have been published in scientific papers in top-ranking scholarly journals.
A particular focus of his work has been to examine the links between nutrient timing and human health, for which James was awarded the Nutrition Society Cuthbertson Medal at the Royal Society of Medicine for 'excellence in clinical nutrition and metabolism research'.
In this episode we discuss:
- Are the improvements in health after fasting down to the fasting per se, or are they entirely accounted for by calorie restriction and weight loss?
- Hypotheses people have put forward as to why fasting may have specific health benefits
- The recent RCT from Prof. Betts' group: A randomized controlled trial to isolate the effects of fasting and energy restriction on weight loss and metabolic health in lean adults
- Results related to body comp differences, difference in physical activity thermogenesis, and in metabolic health markers
- How should we view the efficacy of alternate-day fasting
- Thoughts on time-restricted eating protocols
Links & Resources
- Click here to join the email list to receive our weekly Sigma Synopsis emails
- Lab Website: Centre for Nutrition, Exercise and Metabolism
- Twitter: @DrBSteamjets
- Study: Templeman et al., 2021 - A randomized controlled trial to isolate the effects of fasting and energy restriction on weight loss and metabolic health in lean adults
- Bath Breakfast Project: Betts et al., 2014 - The causal role of breakfast in energy balance and health: a randomized controlled trial in lean adults
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