OK, so if you have been paying attention at all over the last decade, you’ll know that this IS NOT news. It’s something we’ve known for years. But still, if we’re going to change the understanding of our doctors, nutritionists and dietitians (not to mention the public), any coverage is good coverage.
So it is with a slight smile that I welcome the latest article from the journal, Obesity Reviews. It’s a meta-analysis reviewing 17 clinical research experiments on low carb diets and it concludes that low carb diets are effective for weight loss and improve most biomarkers for health:
- Reduction in body weight: −7.04 kg [95% CI −7.20/−6.88]
- Reduction in body mass index: −2.09 kg m−2[95% CI −2.15/−2.04]
- Reduction in abdominal circumference: −5.74 cm [95% CI −6.07/−5.41]
- Reduction in systolic blood pressure systolic blood pressure: −4.81 mm Hg [95% CI −5.33/−4.29]
- Reduction in diastolic blood pressure: −3.10 mm Hg [95% CI −3.45/−2.74]
- Reduction in plasma triglycerides: −29.71 mg dL−1[95% CI −31.99/−27.44]
- Reduction in fasting plasma glucose: −1.05 mg dL−1[95% CI −1.67/−0.44]
- Reduction in glycated hemoglobin: −0.21% [95% CI −0.24/−0.18]
- Reduction in plasma insulin: −2.24 micro IU mL−1[95% CI −2.65/−1.82]
- Reduction in c-reactive protein: data not given
- Increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL Cholesterol): 1.73 mg dL−1[95%CI 1.44/2.01]
- Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL Cholesterol): No change
- Creatinine: No change
Unfortunately, all we have now is the abstract. I’ll be certain to update when I get my hands on the full research.
Resources
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials of the effects of low carbohydrate diets on cardiovascular risk factors, Yancy, et al. Obesity Reviews. 20 AUG 2012. (abstract)
- Low-carb diet gets more support from new analysis, Nanci Hellmich. USA Today, 30 AUG 2012.
