Dr David Unwin joined The Diary Of A CEO to explain how fatty liver, insulin resistance and hidden sugars in everyday foods can quietly drive poor metabolic health.
On 18 May 2026, Dr David Unwin joined Steven Bartlett on The Diary Of A CEO for a long-form conversation about fatty liver, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and the everyday foods that can quietly undermine metabolic health.
The episode, titled Fatty Liver Expert: Stop Eating These "Healthy" Foods - Dr David Unwin, runs for just over two hours and gives a clear, practical introduction to an issue PHC talks about often: poor metabolic health can develop silently for years before a diagnosis appears.
Why this conversation matters
Fatty liver and insulin resistance are not niche clinical concerns. They are common signs that the body is struggling to process the modern food environment. Many people can have rising blood glucose, increasing waist size or a fatty liver long before they are told they have type 2 diabetes.
Dr Unwin explains that this matters because the problem is often visible earlier than people realise. Waist size, especially in relation to height, can be a simple prompt to look more closely at metabolic risk. Blood tests can then help build a fuller picture, including glucose control, triglycerides and liver markers.
The most useful message is not one of blame. It is that earlier action gives people more options. Small, sustained changes to food, activity, sleep and support can make a meaningful difference before medication needs escalate.
The "healthy" foods question
A central theme of the episode is that food labels and public assumptions can be misleading. Foods marketed as healthy are not always metabolically neutral, particularly for people with insulin resistance or prediabetes.
Dr Unwin talks through familiar examples such as breakfast cereals, rice, potatoes, bread, fruit juice, dried fruit and smoothies. His point is not that every person must avoid every carbohydrate. It is that many starchy or sugary foods rapidly become glucose in the bloodstream, and some people are much less able to tolerate that glucose load than others.
This is where his well-known sugar teaspoon comparisons can help. They give people a simple way to understand glycaemic load: not just whether a food contains table sugar, but how much sugar-like impact a typical portion may have once digested.
What viewers can take from the episode
The episode is a useful watch for anyone trying to understand why weight gain around the middle, fatty liver, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes often appear together.
Key takeaways include:
- Metabolic problems can build quietly for years before a formal diagnosis.
- Waist-to-height ratio is a simple first check for possible risk.
- Fatty liver is strongly linked with insulin resistance and excess energy storage.
- Many common "healthy" foods can have a higher blood glucose impact than people expect.
- Lowering carbohydrate load can be especially powerful for people with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.
- Earlier lifestyle change gives people a better chance of improving health before treatment becomes more complex.
A PHC perspective
At PHC, we want more people to understand that metabolic health is not only about weight. It is about how the body handles food, stores energy and maintains healthy blood sugar, blood pressure and blood fats over time.
Dr Unwin's interview is valuable because it makes that science accessible. It also shows why real food, reduced ultra-processed food, and personalised carbohydrate awareness can be practical tools rather than abstract nutrition advice.
For anyone watching the episode and wondering what to do next, PHC has free resources that can help translate the ideas into everyday choices:
- Sugar infographics that explain the sugar impact of common foods.
- Real food booklets for people looking for practical food guidance.
- The Lifestyle Club for structured support with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes.
- PHC news and insights for further commentary on metabolic health.
Watch the episode
You can watch the full episode on YouTube here: Fatty Liver Expert: Stop Eating These "Healthy" Foods - Dr David Unwin.
As always, anyone considering a major diet change, particularly if taking glucose-lowering medication or blood pressure medication, should speak with their GP, nurse or qualified healthcare professional for individual advice.
