A low-carbohydrate diet is more effective in reducing body weight than healthy eating in both diabetic and non-diabetic subjects.
BACKGROUND
Low-carbohydrate diets are effective for weight reduction in people without diabetes, but there is limited evidence for people with Type 2 diabetes. Aims To assess the impact of a low-carbohydrate diet on body weight, glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)), ketone and lipid levels in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects.


METHODS
Thirteen Type 2 diabetic subjects (on diet or metformin) and 13 non-diabetic subjects were randomly allocated to either a low-carbohydrate diet (< or = 40 g carbohydrate/day) or a healthy-eating diet following Diabetes UK nutritional recommendations and were seen monthly for 3 months. Subjects (25% male) were (mean +/- sd) age 52 +/- 9 years, weight 96.3 +/- 16.6 kg, body mass index 35.1 kg/m(2), HbA(1c) 6.6 +/- 1.1%, total cholesterol 5.1 +/- 1.1 mmol/l, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol 1.3 +/- 0.4 mmol/l, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol 3.1 +/- 0.9 mmol/l, triglycerides (geometric mean) 1.55 (1.10, 2.35) mmol/l and ketones range 0.0-0.2 mmol/l.


RESULTS
Analysis was by intention to treat with last observation carried forward. Twenty-two of the participants (85%) completed the study. Weight loss was greater (6.9 vs. 2.1 kg, P = 0.003) in the low-carbohydrate group, with no difference in changes in HbA(1c), ketone or lipid levels.


CONCLUSIONS
The diet was equally effective in those with and without diabetes.
Dyson
P A
PA
Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, UK. pam.dyson@orh.nhs.uk
Beatty
S
S
Matthews
D R
DR
D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000178:diet therapy*; D050528:Diet, Carbohydrate-Restricted; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D006801:Humans; D007659:Ketones / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000178:diet therapy*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D002784:Cholesterol; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007659:Ketones; D014280:Triglycerides