MONDAY, June 27 (HealthDay News) -- A low-fat, high-protein (Hi-Prot) diet and a low-fat, high-carbohydrate (Hi-CHO) diet may be equally effective for long-term weight loss in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a study presented at the American Diabetes Association's 71st Scientific Sessions, held from June 24 to 28 in San Diego.
Jeremy D. Krebs, M.D., from Wellington Hospital in New Zealand, and colleagues compared the effects of a Hi-Prot diet to that of a Hi-CHO diet over a two-year period, in 294 overweight (body mass index greater than 27 kg/m²) adults with type 2 diabetes, aged 35 to 75 years. Over six months, individuals attended a dietitian-led twice-weekly group-based program, then monthly for a further six months. Primary outcomes of weight and waist circumference were evaluated at baseline and at six, 12, and 24 months. Secondary outcomes measured were hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood pressure, lipid profile, dietary adherence, and renal function.
The investigators found that both groups reported a decrease in energy intake, with a significantly lower intake for the Hi-CHO cohort. Both groups experienced similar weight loss, reduced waist circumference, and reduced HbA1c. Blood pressure and proteinuria did not show any significant changes or differences between the groups. The pattern of change in lipid profiles differed between the two groups, but the final 24-month results were comparable.
"In this 'real world' setting, dietary interventions promoting energy reduction through low-fat, with either increased protein or carbohydrate, result in similar modest weight and waist circumference loss largely sustained over two years," the authors write.
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