Research Library

Benefits of The Low Carbohydrate Diet

Stern, L., Iqbal, N., Chiceno, K., et al., "The V.A. Low Carbohydrate Intervention Diet (VALID) Study," Journal of General Internal Medicine, 17(S1), 2002, pages 147-148. (abstract #51080)

Summary:

BACKGROUND: Despite the recent popularity of low carbohydrate diets, there have not been any long-term prospective randomized controlled studies to assess relative safety and efficacy of recommending this diet.

METHODS: We prospectively randomized 82 severely obese subjects to either dietary instruction on a 30g/day carbohydrate diet or a low fat/low calorie (500calorie/day deficit) diet. Subjects were asked to attend 4 consecutive, 2 hours weekly, dietary teaching sessions, followed by monthly support group sessions for a total of 6 months.

RESULTS: Twenty-four (29%) of the 82 patients declined to return for a 6-month data collection, leaving 58 patients (of which 14 were diabetic) with available data: see table.


Baseline Weight:
Low Carb(28 subjects)average weight 293 lbs.
Low Fat(30 subjects)average weight 295 lbs.
Weight Change after(6 months):
Low Carb -20.4 lbs., Low Fat -6.8 lbs.
LDL Cholesterol Change :
Low Carb -1.8mg/dl , Low Fat -6.4mg/dl
HDL Cholesterol Change :
Low Carb -0.6mg/dl , Low Fat -1.4mg/dl
Triglyceride Change :
Low Carb -65mg/dl, Low Fat -8.0mg/dl
Insulin Change :
Low Carb -8.9, Low Fat -1.1


CONCLUSION: Severely obese subjects receiving instruction on a carbohydrate-restricted diet achieved greater weight loss by 6 months when compared to subjects receiving instruction on a low fat/calorie restricted diet. This favorable change occurred without an unfavorable change in cholesterol or LDL. In non-diabetics there was a significantly greater decrease in triglycerides (TG) for patients instructed on a carbohydrate restricted diet and a trend toward greater decrease in fasting insulin level.

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