Category: Low Carb Lifestyle

Total mortality rates are improved when type two diabetics follow a low carb diet

kaitiscotland3 Comments
Photo by Jess Bailey Designs on Pexels.com

Adapted from Diabetes in Control March 24 2023

Mortality Reduced With Adherence to Low-Carb Diet in Type 2 Diabetes

Mar 24, 2023

Lower mortality seen with increases in total, vegetable, and healthy low-carbohydrate diet score

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

×

FRIDAY, March 24, 2023 (HealthDay News) — For individuals with incident type 2 diabetes (T2D), a greater adherence to low-carbohydrate diet (LCD) patterns is associated with lower mortality, according to a study published online Feb. 14 in Diabetes Care.

Yang Hu, Ph.D., from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, and colleagues calculated an overall total LCD score (TLCDS) among participants with incident diabetes identified in the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Vegetable (VLCDS), animal (ALCDS), healthy (HLCDS), and unhealthy LCDS (ULCDS) were also derived.

The researchers documented 4,595 deaths, of which 1,389 cases were attributable to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and 881 to cancer among 10,101 incident T2D cases, contributing 139,407 person-years of follow-up. Per each 10-point increment of postdiagnosis LCDS, the pooled multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios for total mortality were 0.87, 0.76, and 0.78 for TLCDS, VLCDS, and HLCDS, respectively. Significantly lower CVD and cancer mortality was seen in association with VLCDS and HLCDS. From the prediagnosis to postdiagnosis period, each 10-point increase in TLCDS, VLCDS, and HLCDS correlated with 12, 25, and 25 percent lower total mortality, respectively. For ALCDS and ULCDS, no significant associations were seen.

“Our findings provide support for the current recommendations of carbohydrate restrictions for T2D management and highlight the importance of the quality and food sources of macronutrients when assessing the health benefits of LCD,” the authors write.

Worsening obesity in children can be reversed with a ketogenic diet

kaitiscotland5 Comments
Photo by Alexander Dummer on Pexels.com

Adapted from Independent Diabetes Trust Newsletter March 2023

The National Child Measurement Programme 16 March 2022

In the western world obesity rates continue to climb in children. In the UK when children start primary school at the age of 4-5 14.4% are obese and a further 13.3% are overweight. In Primary 6, at the age of 10-11 25.5% are obese and 15.4% are overweight.

My comment: from my own schooldays, there was only one overweight child in my primary class and she was on steroids and had a heart complaint that stopped her from participating in any exercise. In primary 7, there was one girl who was overweight and she had started puberty earlier than the rest of us.

In the USA in 2019 more than 30% of children were overweight or obese, similar to the UK figures. Physicians are reporting that since the Covid epidemic children are usually between 5 and 10 pounds heavier than they were at any given age, so these figures are likely to worsen even more.

Since 2006 Duke University has treated more than 15,000 children with a restricted carbohydrate diet which encourages the eating of vegetables, fatty fish, nuts and other features of the Mediterranean diet.

Meghan Pauley and colleagues from the Marshall University School of Medicine in Huntington West Virginia have cut the carbohydrate intake for children further to 30g or less a day and have been effective in short term weight loss in severely obese children and teenagers.

The ages of the subjects ranged from 5 years to 18 years. The study lasted 3-4 months. The children were otherwise told to eat as much fat and protein as desired with no limit on calories.

Two groups of analyses were done of different intakes into the programme in 2017 and 2018.

 In Group A, 310 participants began the diet, 130 (42%) returned after 3-4 months. Group B had 14 enrollees who began the diet, and 8 followed up at 3-4 months (57%).

Girls compared with boys were more likely to complete the diet. Participants less than 12 years age were almost twice as likely to complete the diet compared with those 12-18 years, however, the older group subjects who completed the diet had the same percentage of weight loss compared with those under 12 years. Group A had reductions in weight of 5.1 kg , body mass index (BMI) 2.5 kg/m2 , and percentage weight loss 6.9% .

Group B had reductions in weight 9.6 kg , BMI 4 kg/m2 , and percentage weight loss 9% . In addition, participants had significant reductions of fasting serum insulin and triglycerides.

This study demonstrated that a carbohydrate-restricted diet, utilized short term, effectively reduced weight in a large percentage of severely obese youth, and can be replicated in a busy primary care office.

PHC: How low carbing can help the NHS, meeting in Edinburgh

kaitiscotland2 Comments
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The Public Health Collaboration is hosting a morning meeting on Saturday 18th March in Edinburgh from 9 am till 1pm.

The morning speakers will be explaining the role low carbing has on:

Improving mental health and particularly the results with bipolar disorder.

Improving weight and glycaemic control in type two diabetes.

Reducing the costs of managing type two diabetes.

Public education and group coaching initiatives in Scotland.

The PHC Ambassadors are having an afternoon meeting to discuss their projects.

The meeting is at the Quaker Meeting House in the old part of Edinburgh at the bottom of the castle and the fee is £15.

Please contact Sam Feltham at the Public Health Collaboration for more details and to register for the event.

Metabolic Multiplier: Help for type two diabetics who want to adopt a low carb diet

kaitiscotland3 Comments
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The site Metabolic Multiplier have compiled a toolkit that you can use to educate yourself about the low carb diet and have included information that you can give to your doctor or other health care professional so that they will be more likely to help you monitor your condition.

Your patient toolkit for prediabetes & type 2 diabetes

I was part of the development group last year.

The dietician Adele Hite was extremely active in the group and always seemed so full of energy and enthusiasm. She put in many hours into the project as well as her day job. Little did I know that she had a returning cancer and that she was to die from it in less than a year. In retrospect, I think that this is what drove her. She was determined to leave a legacy to help others.

If you know of any newly diagnosed diabetics or any who are experiencing friction with their GPs or health care providers, please let them know about the Metabolic Multiplier site. It is organised by the highly efficient and versatile Cecile Seth.

Low carb diets are beneficial for weight normalisation after childbirth

kaitiscotland2 Comments
Photo by Creation Hill on Pexels.com

Everyone knows how hard it is to shift body fat after having a baby. A recent study suggests that adopting a low carb diet featuring plentiful meat/poultry/fish and animal fats was more successful than having a low carb diet based mainly around plant foods.

Readers who are keen to shed their post holiday season weight gain may also find this information useful.

Low-carbohydrate diets (LCD) have been considered a popular dietary strategy for weight loss. However, the association of the low-carbohydrate dietary pattern with postpartum weight retention (PPWR) in women remains unknown.

The present study involved 426 women from a prospective mother-infant cohort study.

Overall, animal or plant LCD scores, which represent adherence to different low-carbohydrate dietary patterns, were calculated using diet intake information assessed by three consecutive 24 h dietary surveys.

PPWR was assessed by the difference of weight at 1 year postpartum minus the pre-pregnancy weight. After adjusting for potential confounding variables, women in higher quartiles of total and animal-based LCD scores had a significantly lower body weight and weight retention at 1 year postpartum (P < 0.05). The multivariable-adjusted ORs of substantial PPWR (≥5 kg), comparing the highest with the lowest quartile, were 0.47 (95% confidence interval 0.23–0.96) for the total LCD score (P = 0.021 for trend) and 0.38 (95% confidence interval 0.19–0.77) for the animal-based LCD score (P = 0.019 for trend), while this association was significantly attenuated by rice, glycemic load, fish, poultry, animal fat and animal protein (P for trend <0.05).

A high score for plant-based LCD was not significantly associated with the risk of PPWR (P > 0.05). The findings suggested that a low-carbohydrate dietary pattern, particularly with high protein and fat intake from animal-source foods, is associated with a decreased risk of weight retention at 1 year postpartum. This association was mainly due to low intake of glycemic load and high intake of fish and poultry.

https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2021/fo/d1fo00935d

Diabetes UK and British Dietetic Association finally recognise value of low carb diets for diabetics

kaitiscotland2 Comments

I have personally been campaigning for low carbing for diabetics since 2003. I’m pleased to say that FINALLY Diabetes UK and the BDA have accepted low carbing as a valid option for management of type two diabetes. Presumably they will catch up with Type 1 diabetes in another 20 years or so.

Here are the main points from a paper that they issued on the subject in 2021.

Dietary strategies for remission of type 2 diabetes: A narrative review

Adrian Brown,Paul McArdle,Julie Taplin,David Unwin,Jennifer Unwin,Trudi Deakin,Sean Wheatley,Campbell Murdoch,Aseem Malhotra,Duane Mellor

First published: 29 July 2021

https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.12938

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is a growing health issue globally, which, until recently, was considered to be both chronic and progressive. Although having lifestyle and dietary changes as core components, treatments have focused on optimising glycaemic control using pharmaceutical agents. With data from bariatric surgery and, more recently, total diet replacement (TDR) studies that have set out to achieve remission, remission of T2DM has emerged as a treatment goal. A group of specialist dietitians and medical practitioners was convened, supported by the British Dietetic Association and Diabetes UK, to discuss dietary approaches to T2DM and consequently undertook a review of the available clinical trial and practice audit data regarding dietary approaches to remission of T2DM. Current available evidence suggests that a range of dietary approaches, including low energy diets (mostly using TDR) and low carbohydrate diets, can be used to support the achievement of euglycaemia and potentially remission. The most significant predictor of remission is weight loss and, although euglycaemia may occur on a low carbohydrate diet without weight loss, which does not meet some definitions of remission, it may rather constitute a ‘state of mitigation’ of T2DM. This technical point may not be considered as important for people living with T2DM, aside from that it may only last as long as the carbohydrate restriction is maintained. The possibility of actively treating T2DM along with the possibility of achieving remission should be discussed by healthcare professionals with people living with T2DM, along with a range of different dietary approaches that can help to achieve this.

Practice points

  • Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) remission should be considered as a treatment goal for people living with T2DM (especially for those within 6 years from being diagnosed). The ability to achieve this may be influenced by duration of diabetes, weight loss and gender. Therefore, it should be positively discussed with this in mind.
  • Based on the evidence from clinical trials weight loss (typically 15 kg or greater) is the main driver and predictor of remission. However, more data are needed so that it is more reflective of an ethnically diverse population.
  • Based on evidence from clinical trials, maintenance of weight loss appears to be the main driver of continued remission, and this therefore needs to be a key focus of the planning and delivery of all services designed to achieve remission. If a diet low in carbohydrate is sustainable to the individual, normoglycaemia may be maintained in the absence of weight loss, although evidence is limited and loss of remission is likely to occur if carbohydrate restriction ceases.
  • Total dietary replacements (TDR) and low carbohydrate diets have been demonstrated as being effective in facilitating weight loss and remission of T2DM. Evidence of effectiveness beyond 2 years is limited. The dietary approach should be one which the individual can maintain for the long term.
  • TDR and low carbohydrate diets, if appropriately supported, are considered safe and should not be avoided in suitable individuals who find these approaches acceptable. Clinicians should therefore aim to support their use within clinical practice as part of person-centred diabetes care.
  • Programmes supporting people toward achieving remission need to be structured and offer continued, regular support, including the involvement of dietitians (mandated by the National Health Service England).

Tim Noakes: Nutrition Network Courses for Health Professionals

kaitiscotland2 Comments

Homepage | Nutrition Network (nutrition-network.org)

Tim Noakes shot to fame in the low carb community by being accused of malpractice by two South African dieticians for giving dietary advice when he was not a registered dietician. After five long miserable years and the support of international colleagues he won the case. Anna Dahlquist, a Swedish GP had gone through the same thing a few years before this, and not only won her case, but managed to get the Swedish food guidelines for people with diabetes changed.

Professor Noakes has established online training for health professionals covering a variety of useful topics. Participants can be from all over the world and will receive accreditation. The full list of topics can be found by clicking on the homepage in BOLD above.

Public health collaboration online conference 2021

Featured kaitiscotland2 Comments

PHC FREE Virtual Conference 2021 – Saturday 8th & Sunday 9th May

Sam Feltham has done it again. This year’s conference is now available on you tube right now.

Last weekend there were many contributors from diverse fields including members of the public, doctors, academics, and the scientific journalist Gary Taubes who gave the opening talk about ketogenic diets.

The courses that particularly interested me were about the experiences of type one diabetics who had adopted the low carb approach, how to achieve change, and how to increase your happiness.

There are talks about eating addiction and eating disorders, statins, and vegetable oil consumption.

Much of the material will be familiar to readers of this blog. There are some new speakers and topics which do indicate that a grassroots movement in changing our dietary guidelines is gaining ground.

CrossFit: exercise, diet and research

kaitiscotland3 Comments

CrossFit is a website which you may enjoy visiting.

In one site you can find detailed exercise advice, often in the form of videos, for strength training, recipes, and research findings related to health and dietary composition.

There is information on the low carb diet, which is particularly helpful for those with diabetes, who wish to lose body fat, or who wish to reduce their cardiovascular risk.

Lectures by a wide variety of speakers are also included.

https://www.crossfit.com/essentials

Your brain needs 50g of glucose a day

kaitiscotland3 Comments

Adapted from Richard Feinman’s Nutrition in Crisis 

We have all heard NHS dieticians and diabetologists telling us that we will die of brain failure or get severe brain damage when we go on low carb diets because the brain needs 130g of glucose a day.

We will typically remind them that the glucose does not need to be ingested since our livers are perfectly able to manufacture well over 130g of glucose a day, the process called gluconeogenesis.

Richard Feinman is a cell biologist and he has an even finer retort.

The 130g of glucose a day necessity was discovered by George Cahill. This was the amount of glucose that a brain uses in normal nutritional states. It is indeed the case that this glucose can be ingested or manufactured in the liver or both.

Under starvation conditions however, the brain will only use 50g of glucose a day.  In starvation, the utilisation of ketone bodies becomes more important for brain function.

Unfortunately, nutritionists picked up on the 130g of glucose a day message and have been repeating it ever since. Cahill is reported to have said that by the time he was aware of the simplified but inaccurate message, it was too late to stop it.

Thus, it is not always true that you need 130g of glucose a day for brain function and it is never true that this must be from dietary carbohydrate.

So, if you get the old chestnut thrown at you, you know what to say now!