Study finds low-carb diet outperforms low-fat diet in terms of weight and blood fat levels
Posted on 18 July 2008
Published July 18, 2008 . Filed under: Healthy Eating, Low-Carbohydrate/Carbohydrate Restriction, Weight Loss
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If the diabetics in the low carb group were on medication, wouldn’t that increase their weight loss?
July 21, 2008 @ 2:59 am
One point to note is that the low carb diet as stipulated has a poor nutrtional profile compared to the standard low carb model (by which I mean ‘Paleo’). This is evidenced by the line that “the participants were counseled to choose vegetarian sources of fat and protein”.
Why on earth would you encourage a vegetarian diet – paticularly a low carb diet? I would wager that a Paleo low-carb diet involving free range meat and dairy products would wipe the floor with the other diets when it comes to weight loss.
July 21, 2008 @ 11:10 am
I can’t see how many calories the low carb diet group consumed. I guess in line with other low carb diets it’ll be low due to the high amount of satiating proteins and fats?
July 21, 2008 @ 5:54 pm
There
July 21, 2008 @ 8:07 pm
rob
“There
July 21, 2008 @ 8:41 pm
An interesting note Dr B
Maybe it’s worth pointing out that the 300odd participants in the study had an average age of 52, average BMI of 31 and 86% of them were male. Now (like you) I don’t think BMI is a perfect measure at all, but such a high number is telling you something useful:
Consider if there was an average height of 1.78m, then their average weight works out at about 98kg
Now a bmi of 25 (which is the high-end of the “healthy range”) would suggest an average weight of about 79kg.
Ergo the study participants were on average about 19kg or about 25% overweight – Wow
I hope I have done my sums correctly but two thoughts occur:
1) Low fat & med group had a restricted their daily calorie intake to 1500 for women & 1800 for men and yet they only managed to lose an average 3.3kg and 4.6kg over two years.
Wow!. I am not being mean here, it just makes me concerned about how well these diets were stuck to (which of course is always a risk, one the authors acknowledge and probably common across all THREE groups)
2) These results are obtained on a group of obese middle-aged men, so how well can they be extrapolated to other groupings
July 22, 2008 @ 1:24 pm
I don
July 22, 2008 @ 3:51 pm
Despite a huge amount of research in to type 2 diabetes, it seems to me that the condition is not very well understood.
It appears that the transition from normal blood sugar levels to type 2 diabetes takes place over a considerable period of time, and is preceeded by a long period of time where insulin levels are elevated, and during which blood glucose levles often rise beyond normal, and safe levels. Both the elevated insulin levels and the abnormal sugar levels can cause long term complications which may be evident long before an official diagnosis is confirmed.
In my opinion, there is no doubt that for many, a low carb diet can bring about normal or near normal BG levels. Whereas failure to control BG levels will result in further deterioration in the underlying condition and, almost certainly, to a need to use insulin.
Research has shown that type 2 diabetics, and indeed many type 1′s (surprisingly) still produce new beta cells. High glucose levels increase the rate of beta cell loss through a process termed glucotoxicity. I believe it is possible to stop the progressive loss of beta cells through the maintenance of tight BG control. It may even be possible for the underlying condition to improve, as beta cell loss may be halted.
I am not suggesting that its possible to completely reverse the condition to such an extent that an individual can return to a high carb diet. At worst good control will slow the progression of the underlying condition.
The cut off point for the diagosis of diabetes is somewhat arbitary – a fasting level above 7 (126) in plasma blood. To suggest someone who has a fasting blood sugar level of 125 is not diabetic and someone who has a fasting level of 127 is may be technically correct but it has little relevance to the health of the individual concerned.
Many readers of this blog will confrim that it is entirely feasible to maintain BG levels below 7 (126) at all times on a low carb diet, without medication, by following a low carb diet. I know of prople who have achieved this over an extended perio, of over 10 years, and who achieve hba1c’s below 5 ona consistent basis. It would not be possible to achieve this following the conventional advice. If anyone can point to a patient who has achieved this, without mediation, by following the standard low fat high carb dietary adivce I would be extremely surprised.
My personal experience has been that the the underlying condition can be improved by following a low carb diet – perhaps helped by weight loss, and following an exercise regime. There have been many cases documented where patients have been able to discontinue medication, cease taking large doese of insulin and acheived non diabetic numbers by switching to a very low carb diet.
I think diabetes advances due to beta cell loss if chronically high BG levels persist. This can be measured by a deterioration in the hba1c and a need for greater medication. The attainment of tight control can slow, possibly halt and in some cases reverse this deterioration.
What is really needed is morfe research in to the long term effect of follwoinga low carb diet: in terms of general health and in terms of the progression or otherwise of the udnerlying condition.
Its quite clear that patients following the standard dietary advice will see a progrssive deterioration in the underlying condition. Following a low carb approach offers hope, and for many a much better quality of life.
Paul Anderson.
July 25, 2008 @ 9:38 pm
My experience with BG control echos what Paul Anderson has said.
August 1, 2008 @ 2:08 pm
Hmmmm, I was diagosed type 2 a year ago, & now a year later I seem to be not diabetic (in Turkey) technically (but not statistically) in the UK still diabetic.
After being diagnosed I decided to research the subject, & found loads of bullsh*t & contrary information. Even the advice from my UK Doctor (or his ‘specialist) diabetic nurse would never help me. My Doctors first reaction was to offer Metformin for the diabetes & statins ‘just in case’ both were rejected.
I bought a blood sugar checker & a blood pressure tester & kept a daily blood sugar, weright ,loss & blood pressure chart for a year.
My research convinced me that this was a numbers game & finding Barry Groves website I discovered a pathway that enabled me to research the subject of diet thouroughly.
Low carb, high fat & protein with a modicum of moderate excercise has basically cured my diabetes (which was really carbohydrate overload)
My body weight is now withing the BMI (just)
My fasting blood is 4.7-5.3
My blood sugars never exceed 6 even after/before meals
I have no eye/foot or other diabetic linked symptoms.
my blood pressure is typically 126/63 @55bpm
I have total control over my diabetes (if thats what I have!)
I eat like horse, I drink alcahol moderately (white wine & fizzy water) never feel hungry & generally have more energy than before.
Like Banting & others, if it works for me, it will work for everyone else & save our health service a fortune & let us live our natural span!
Cheers,
Tony
September 6, 2009 @ 10:48 pm