Low-Carb Diet Improves Weight, Health Measures

PHILADELPHIA--A short-term study conducted at Temple University Hospital found obese patients with Type II diabetes placed on a low-carb diet reduced energy intake, lost weight and improved health measures such as insulin sensitivity and cholesterol levels. However, the researchers cautioned that the data was limited by the size of the patient population (n=10) and study duration (three weeks).

The intervention involved patients following their standard diet for one week, and a low-carb diet for a following 14 days. During the low-carb phase, participants decreased calorie intake significantly to a level appropriate to their height; the reduction in calorie intake completely accounted for the weight loss. Mean plasma profiles of glucose levels normalized, insulin sensitivity improved by 75 percent, and mean plasma triglyceride and cholesterol levels decreased (down 35 percent and 10 percent, respectively).

The study was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (142, 6:403-11, 2005).

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