Catalyst: July 27

Tonight on Catalyst “The Truth About Fasting” looks at the growing popularity of intermittent fasting.

To better understand the benefits and impacts of these diets on our bodies, dietician, and fasting sceptic, Dr Joanna McMillan tracks 5 Australians fasting over 6 weeks.

Could changing WHEN we eat help make us healthier? Fasting – going a set amount of time with little or no food – isn’t a new idea. It’s one we have been practising for millennia. Recent health trends have reinvigorated fasting for our contemporary lifestyles. Diets, like the 16-8 and 5-2, promise not just weight loss, but the possibility of preventing chronic disease, with early studies showing intriguing results.

But many of these studies are in animal models rather than humans – so how does fasting affect people in the real world? And is it the medical miracle it’s made out to be?

To find out, Catalyst asked dietician Dr Joanna McMillan to design a six-week personalised intermittent fasting programme for five everyday Aussies. Hairdresser Sam and her husband Kevin, a butcher, busy mum of four Renuka, train driver Julie and corporate accountant Vanessa all have underlying metabolic health issues that can potentially be treated with a fasting intervention – from insulin resistance to high levels of triglyceride fats in the blood.

As the participants embark on either the 5:2 or the 16:8 diet and radically change the way they approach eating, Jo carefully tracks their metabolic health, mood, microbiomes and weight.

Dr McMillian is guided by some of Australia’s leading medical experts, including gastroenterologist Dr Ray Boyapati, lifestyle disease specialist Dr Samantha Hocking and fasting pioneer Professor Luigi Fontana.

From “brutal” fasting days to changes in body composition and function. The end of the 6-week experiment reveals some surprising results.

Production Details
Producer & Director: Cassie Charlton
Associate Producer: Peta Yoshinaga
Executive Producer: Penny Palmer
Head of Factual and Culture: Jen Collins

8:30pm tonight on ABC.