Author(s)

Peter M. Clifton^1,2*, Leah T. Coles², Clare E. Galbraith²

¹Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
²BakerIDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, 75 Commercial Rd Prahran, Melbourne, Australia.

Although intensive interventions with low carbohydrate diets compared with higher carbohydrate diets can reduce HbA1c in people with type 2 diabetes, it is not clear if simple advice to make modest reductions in carbohydrate is effective in clinical practice. Forty-three people with type 2 diabetes and poor control (HbA1c > 7.5%) were randomized to receive 2 short education sessions over 6 months with a non-dietitian researcher on how to reduce carbohydrate intake by about 25% or to 2 control sessions in which the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating was provided. Hba1c and fasting glucose and lipids were measured at baseline and 3 months and 6 months. 33 volunteers attended a baseline visit; 27 completed 3 months and 24 6 months. HbA1c was reduced by 0.6% - 0.7% in the low carbohydrate diet group compared with the control group (P = 0.1). Fasting glucose was reduced by 2.3 mmol/L compared with the control group at 3 months (P < 0.03) only. Changes in HbA1c at 6 months were related to baseline HbA1c in the intervention group only. Although we have obtained suggestive evidence that a low carbohydrate diet can be successfully implemented in normal practice without professional help, our results are limited by low participant numbers and further studies are required.

Translational Study, Low Carbohydrate Diet, HbA1c, Fasting Glucose

Clifton, P. , Coles, L. and Galbraith, C. (2016) Low Carbohydrate Diets in Type 2 Diabetes—A Translational Study. Journal of Diabetes Mellitus, 6, 152-157. doi: 10.4236/jdm.2016.62016.