Michael Mosley, the inspiring, experimental TV doctor who changed the way we eat

Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “His friends said how much like him I was, so he was kind of a warning from history.” Mosley’s career path was an unconventional one. open image in gallery Mosley – whose career path was an unconventional one – didn’t shy away from taking part in experiments on camera His abundant zeal for science leapt out in these zany on-screen investigations, with his findings delivered in a way that felt accessible without patronising the audience. open image in gallery His book ‘The Fast Diet’, which advocates the ‘5:2’ method of restricting calorie consumption on two days out of every seven, has sold more than a million copies to date Mosley ended up exploring research from the scientists Mark Mattson and Michelle Harvie, who had investigated how cutting food intake significantly might impact weight loss and longevity. After looking into the potential benefits of restricting calories for two days each week, Mosley tested out a 5:2 diet, in which he would eat normally five days each week, then consume only 800 calories on two “fast” days.