How Low-Carb Diets Help Overweight Diabetics
Jørgen Vesti Nielsen, Eva Jönsson, Anna-Karin Nilsson. Lasting Improvement of Hyperglycaemia and Bodyweight: Low-carbohydrate Diet in Type 2 Diabetes. — A Brief Report. Upsala J Med Sci 109: 179-184, 2005
Dept of Medicine, Blekingesjukhuset, Karlshamn, Sweden
ABSTRACT
In two groups of obese patients with type 2 diabetes the effects of 2 different diet
compositions were tested with regard to glycaemic control and bodyweight.
A
group of 16 obese patients with type 2 diabetes was advised on a low-carbohydrate
diet, 1800 kcal for men and 1600 kcal for women, distributed as 20 % carbohydrates,
30 % protein and 50 % fat. Fifteen obese diabetes patients on a high-carbohydrate
diet were control group. Their diet, 1600-1800 kcal for men and 1400-1600
kcal for women, consisted of approximately 60 % carbohydrates, 15 % protein and
25 % fat.
Positive effects on the glucose levels were seen very soon. After 6 months a
marked reduction in bodyweight of patients in the low-carbohydrate diet group was
observed, and this remained one year later.
After 6 months the mean changes in the low-carbohydrate group and the control group respectively were (±SD):
- fasting blood glucose (f-BG): -3.4 ± 2.9 and -0.6 ± 2.9 mmol/l;
- HBA1c: -1.4 ± 1.1 % and -0.6 ± 1.4 %;
- Body Weight: -11.4 ± 4 kg and -1.8 ± 3.8 kg;
- BMI: -4.1 ± 1.3 kg/m2 and -0.7 ± 1.3 kg/m2.
Large changes in blood glucose levels were seen immediately.
Conclusion: A low-carbohydrate diet is an effective tool in the treatment of obese
patients with type 2 diabetes.
A free full-text copy of this article can be found at the website of Upsala J Med Sci:
http://www.ujms.se
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COMMENT:
In the figures above for fasting glucose, HBA1c, body weight and BMI, the standard deviations for the control group, all eating a 'healthy' standard carb-based diet, were more than the average losses. This tells us that, in some cases, these parameters were worse: people put on weight and/or had worse blood glucose readings.
This study adds yet more weight to the case for reducing dietary carbs and increasing fats to treat both overweight and diabetes. Sooner or later, doctors and organisations such as Diabetes UK and the ADA are going to have to accept the fact and admit that the advice they give out for these conditions at present is WRONG!
Last updated 30 April 2005
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