The latest research on lower refined carbohydrate diets and fatloss.

A study published in Diabetes Care 2002¹  demonstrated that a higher protein diet is far superior for fat loss and blood lipid chemistry of obese, insulin resistant individuals. Two groups of type 2 diabetic patients received either a high protein diet or a high carbohydrate diet and observed for 12 weeks.  Both diets resulted in weight loss however, there was greater weight and more importantly fat loss in the high protein group.  The individuals on a high protein diet also experience a significant reduction in dangerous LDL cholesterol.

Both groups consumed the same levels of calories and fat, which demonstrates that a higher protein, lower carbohydrate diet is superior for fat lass and cholesterol management in insulin resistant, obese subjects.

In another study published in Pediatrics (1998) a group of morbidly obese adolescence aged 12-15 years of age and weighing an average of 147.8Kg, an average weightloss of 15.4Kg was observed. This group consumed a ketogenic diet with a carbohydrate level of 25gms.  Dual-energy x-ray and bioimpedance confirmed that this weight loss was predominantly fat.  Average percentage body fat loss was 44.2% to 51.1%.  Blood chemistry remained normal and an improvement in cholesterol was observed².

The complication of Diabetes can be devastating.  The leading cause of type 2 diabetes is chronic obesity.  In the last decade, obesity rates in Australia and the USA have doubled.  In the USA, that is 55million people, and in Australia, 1 in 4 people are classified as obese.  In another trial, 36 insulin dependant diabetic patients were placed on a ketogenic based diet, while being monitored in hospital.  After an average of only 1.9 days, these patients no longer required insulin injections as their blood glucose levels had normalised.  After 41 weeks, only 8 out of the 36 patients required insulin injections.  The conclusion of this study was that a ketogenic diet appears to be a generally successful means of weaning obese diabetic adult patients from insulin.