Metabolic impact of a ketogenic diet compared to a hypocaloric diet in obese children and adolescents
J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2012;25(7-8):697-704.
Metabolic impact of a ketogenic diet compared to a hypocaloric diet in obese children and adolescents.
Partsalaki I, Karvela A, Spiliotis BE.
BACKGROUND:
The effects of carbohydrate-restricted (ketogenic) diets on metabolic parameters in children have been incompletely assessed.
OBJECTIVE:
To compare the efficacy and metabolic impact of ketogenic and hypocaloric diets in obese children and adolescents.
SUBJECTS:
Fifty-eight obese subjects were placed on one of the two diets for 6 months.
METHODS:
Anthropometric measurements, body composition, oral glucose/insulin tolerance test, lipidemic profile, high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin, whole-body insulin sensitivity index (WBISI), and homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were determined before and after each diet.
RESULTS:
Both groups significantly reduced their weight, fat mass, waist circumference, fasting insulin, and HOMA-IR (p = 0.009 for ketogenic and p = 0.014 for hypocaloric), but the differences were greater in the ketogenic group. Both groups increased WBISI significantly, but only the ketogenic group increased HMW adiponectin significantly (p = 0.025).
CONCLUSIONS:
The ketogenic diet revealed more pronounced improvements in weight loss and metabolic parameters than the hypocaloric diet and may be a feasible and safe alternative for children's weight loss.
Combating insulin resistance is the key, and low carb seems to do this pretty well. I wasn't sure if going low carb only meant you had better responses because your insulin went down, or if your insulin resistance was improved. Seems like the latter.
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