High fat, low carbohydrate diets are an effective tool in the treatment of diabetes

This study was published in Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences 2005;110(2):179-83

Study title and authors:
Lasting improvement of hyperglycaemia and bodyweight: low-carbohydrate diet in type 2 diabetes. A brief report.

Nielsen JV, Jönsson E, Nilsson AK.
Dept of Medicine, Blekingesjukhuset, Karlshamn, Sweden. jorgen.vesti-nielsen@ltblekinge.se

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16075898

This study, which lasted for 6 months and involved 31 obese patients with type 2 diabetes, compared the effects of 2 different diets with regard to blood sugar levels and body weight.

The diets were made up of the following:

• 1800 daily calories men, 1600 daily calories women, 20% carbohydrate, 30% protein, 50% fat (high fat diet).
• 1600-1800 daily calories men, 1400-1600 daily calories women, 60% carbohydrate, 15% protein, 25% fat (high carbohydrate diet).

After 6 months the results of the study revealed:

• Fasting blood glucose levels had decreased by 2.8 mmol/l (50.4 mg/dL) more on the high fat diet compared to the high carbohydrate diet.
• HbA1-C levels had decreased .8% more on the high fat diet compared to the high carbohydrate diet.
• Those on the high fat diet lost 9.6 kg (21 lbs) more than those on the high carbohydrate diet, despite having a slightly higher calorie intake.

Nielsen concludes; "A low-carbohydrate diet is an effective tool in the treatment of obese patients with type 2 diabetes."