Low-Fat Diets and Hi-Mono Diets Studied

Considering the importance of weight loss for patients with type 2 diabetes, researchers at the Oregon Health and Science University studied the effects of an ad lib low-fat, high-fiber diet versus a high-monounsaturated-fat diet. Investigators sought to find the diet with the greatest weight loss without increasing plasma lipids or lessening glycemic control.

Eleven patients with type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned one of the diets. Both diets had 125% of the estimated energy requirements to allow for ad lib quantity self-selection. Over the next 6 weeks, researchers evaluated body weight, fasting plasma lipid, lipoprotein, glucose, glycated hemoglobin (A1C), fructosamine concentrations, insulin sensitivity, and glucose disposal.

The low-fat, high-fiber diet significantly reduced body weight. Plasma total and cholesterol concentrations tended to decrease with both diets. There were no differences between the diet and the lipid profile response noted. Plasma triacylglycerol concentrations, glycemic control, and insulin sensitivity did not differ significantly between the two diets.

Contrary to expectations, “the ad lib, low-fat, high-fiber diet promoted weight loss in type 2 diabetic patients without causing adverse effects in plasma lipids or glycemic control,” according to the authors. ▪