Engy › Who's who in longevity › Roy Taylor
At a glance
- British physician and professor of medicine and metabolism at Newcastle University, based at its Magnetic Resonance Centre.
- Proposed the twin cycle hypothesis: type 2 diabetes is driven by excess fat in the liver and pancreas, and in many people it can reverse when that fat is lost.
- Led the DiRECT trial in UK primary care with Mike Lean: with a low-calorie diet and structured support, almost half of participants were in remission after one year. The approach was later rolled out in the NHS.
- Wrote ‘Life Without Diabetes’ (2019) for a general audience and publishes MRI studies showing how liver and pancreatic fat fall during remission.
- Relevant because type 2 diabetes accelerates ageing; his work shows that weight loss can do more than manage symptoms. He was not a guest in the scan, but his hypothesis was discussed on Len De Nys’s podcast.
Criticism and nuance
Remission does not work for everyone: it is more likely with a shorter disease duration and enough weight loss, and relapse can occur if weight returns. A very low-calorie diet should be medically supervised, especially when taking diabetes medication.