A simple change could help people lose weight and reduce the risk of diabetes, a Channel 4 documentary has revealed.

The eating habit – recommended by former NHS doctor Rangan Chatterjee – is relatively easy to keep up with, and many may unknowingly be doing it already.

Dr Chatterjee, who is also a best-selling author, suggests there are many benefits to adopting a ’12-hour’ eating window.

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He explained the lifestyle change on the C4 show Live Well with the Drug-Free Doctor.

He explained that those wanting to improve their health should eat “all the food you are going to consume in any given day within a 12-hour time period.”

The Mirror reports this not only helps stop snacking but could also boost fat burning, and lower the risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes.

Dr Chatterjee said: “Let’s say you finish consuming your final meal of the day at 7pm.

“For the next four hours, you are utilising the fuel that you just ate in that last meal, especially glucose.

“After four hours, and while you are sleeping, your body runs on glycogen stored in your liver.

“But here’s the thing, once you get to about ten hours or so after your last meal, those glycogen stores are pretty much depleted, and you’re likely to be burning fat.

“Being able to switch up using these different energy sources is called metabolic flexibility – a key indicator in life expectancy.

“Studies show time-restricted eating can help you burn fat and lose weight, improve your sleep, improve your digestion, improve immune system function and reduce your risk of getting diseases like type 2 diabetes.”

This approach was also recommended by the late Doctor Michael Mosley.

In an episode of his Just One Thing podcast on BBC Radio 4, he said: “If you want to lose a bit of weight and improve your metabolic health, change your meal times.

“That means having breakfast a bit later and your evening meal a bit earlier.

“It’s also known as time-restricted eating, and I would recommend you start by trying to eat all your meals within a 12-hour window.”