Advice to follow a low-carbohydrate diet has a favourable impact on low-grade inflammation in type 2 diabetes compared with advice to follow a low-fat diet.
BACKGROUND
Inflammation may play an important role in type 2 diabetes. It has been proposed that dietary strategies can modulate inflammatory activity.


METHODS
We investigated the effects of diet on inflammation in type 2 diabetes by comparing a traditional low-fat diet (LFD) with a low-carbohydrate diet (LCD). Patients with type 2 diabetes were randomized to follow either LFD aiming for 55-60 energy per cent (E%) from carbohydrates (n = 30) or LCD aiming for 20 E% from carbohydrates (n = 29). Plasma was collected at baseline and after 6 months. C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), IL-6, tumour necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) 1 and TNFR2 were determined.


RESULTS
Both LFD and LCD led to similar reductions in body weight, while beneficial effects on glycaemic control were observed in the LCD group only. After 6 months, the levels of IL-1Ra and IL-6 were significantly lower in the LCD group than in the LFD group, 978 (664-1385) versus 1216 (974-1822) pg/mL and 2.15 (1.65-4.27) versus 3.39 (2.25-4.79) pg/mL, both P < 0.05.


CONCLUSIONS
To conclude, advice to follow LCD or LFD had similar effects on weight reduction while effects on inflammation differed. Only LCD was found significantly to improve the subclinical inflammatory state in type 2 diabetes.
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, Linköping University , SE-581 85 Linköping , Sweden.
Lena
L
Jonasson
Hans
H
Guldbrand
Anna K
AK
Lundberg
Fredrik H
FH
Nystrom
D000368:Aged; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000178:diet therapy*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D050528:Diet, Carbohydrate-Restricted; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000178:diet therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015431:Weight Loss