Logo image
Back
The effects of low-carbohydrate versus conventional weight loss diets in severely obese adults: one-year follow-up of a randomized trial
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

The effects of low-carbohydrate versus conventional weight loss diets in severely obese adults: one-year follow-up of a randomized trial

Linda Stern, Nayyar Iqbal, Prakash Seshadri, Kathryn L Chicano, Denise A Daily, Joyce McGrory, Monica Williams, Edward J Gracely and Frederick F Samaha
Annals of internal medicine, v 140(10), pp 778-785
18 May 2004
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-140-10-200405180-00007
PMID: 15148064
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-140-10-200405180-00007View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open

Abstract

Diabetes Mellitus - diet therapy Dietary Carbohydrates - administration & dosage Diabetes Complications Follow-Up Studies Humans Middle Aged Male Patient Dropouts Insulin - blood Diet, Reducing Metabolic Syndrome - complications Obesity, Morbid - complications Weight Loss Diet, Fat-Restricted Lipids - blood Adolescent Metabolic Syndrome - diet therapy Adult Female Obesity, Morbid - diet therapy Aged Patient Compliance Blood Glucose - metabolism Obesity, Morbid - metabolism
A previous paper reported the 6-month comparison of weight loss and metabolic changes in obese adults randomly assigned to either a low-carbohydrate diet or a conventional weight loss diet. To review the 1-year outcomes between these diets. Randomized trial. Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center. 132 obese adults with a body mass index of 35 kg/m2 or greater; 83% had diabetes or the metabolic syndrome. Participants received counseling to either restrict carbohydrate intake to <30 g per day (low-carbohydrate diet) or to restrict caloric intake by 500 calories per day with <30% of calories from fat (conventional diet). Changes in weight, lipid levels, glycemic control, and insulin sensitivity. By 1 year, mean (+/-SD) weight change for persons on the low-carbohydrate diet was -5.1 +/- 8.7 kg compared with -3.1 +/- 8.4 kg for persons on the conventional diet. Differences between groups were not significant (-1.9 kg [95% CI, -4.9 to 1.0 kg]; P = 0.20). For persons on the low-carbohydrate diet, triglyceride levels decreased more (P = 0.044) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels decreased less (P = 0.025). As seen in the small group of persons with diabetes (n = 54) and after adjustment for covariates, hemoglobin A1c levels improved more for persons on the low-carbohydrate diet. These more favorable metabolic responses to a low-carbohydrate diet remained significant after adjustment for weight loss differences. Changes in other lipids or insulin sensitivity did not differ between groups. These findings are limited by a high dropout rate (34%) and by suboptimal dietary adherence of the enrolled persons. Participants on a low-carbohydrate diet had more favorable overall outcomes at 1 year than did those on a conventional diet. Weight loss was similar between groups, but effects on atherogenic dyslipidemia and glycemic control were still more favorable with a low-carbohydrate diet after adjustment for differences in weight loss.

Metrics

15 Record Views
603 citations in Web of Science
771 citations in Scopus

Details

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being

InCites Highlights

Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:

Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Logo image