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New Guidelines Acknowledging Low-Carb for Diabetes
01/15/08
Nutrition & Exercise
New Advice for Doctors About Low-fat, Low-carb Diets For Short-term Weight Loss
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recently issued its annual clinical practice recommendations to help health care providers treat people with diabetes using the most current evidence available. These guidelines address medication, insulin use, nutrition, exercise, and other aspects of managing diabetes.
This year the recommendations recognize the increasing evidence that low-carbohydrate or low-fat weight loss plans are equally effective for reducing weight in the short term (up to one year). Until now, the ADA did not recommend low-carbohydrate diets because of lack of scientific evidence supporting their safety and effectiveness.
"Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2008" reviews the growing evidence for the effectiveness of either approach to weight loss. In addition, there is now evidence that the most important determinant of weight loss is not the composition of the diet, but whether the person can stick with it, and that some individuals are more likely to adhere to a low-carbohydrate diet while others may find a low-fat, calorie-restricted diet easier to follow.
"The risks of overweight and obesity are well known," said Ann Albright, Ph.D., RD, president of Health Care & Education with the ADA. "We recognize that people are looking for realistic ways to lose weight. The evidence is clear that both low-carbohydrate and low-fat calorie restricted diets result in similar weight loss at one year."
Because people following low-carbohydrate diets may replace calories from carbohydrate with fat or protein, the recommendations also include monitoring the lipid profile (blood fats, including cholesterol and triglycerides) of patients on such diets. High protein diets may also worsen kidney problems. Therefore, it is also recommended that patients with kidney disease be counseled about appropriate intake of protein and that their kidney functions be monitored carefully.
"Short-term weight loss is beneficial, but what is most important for health is keeping the weight off long-term," Albright said. "We also want to continue to emphasize the importance of regular physical activity, both to aid weight loss from calorie-restricted diets, and also for the positive health gains associated with exercise that are independent of weight loss."
The ADA does not endorse any particular method of losing weight. It emphasizes that health care providers should support patients in choosing a plan that works for them.
What do the Guidelines Mean to Diabetics?
These guidelines were written by physicians and published in a medical journal for health care professionals. The audience is health care professionals rather than patients. Diabetics who have dedicated themselves to learning about diabetes may benefit from reviewing the guidelines. Patients new to diabetes and the language of medicine may be overwhelmed by them.
If you identify interesting information in the guidelines that you would like to apply to your diabetes plan, please print off the pages and share them with your doctor. You should always talk to your doctor before changing your diabetes strategy.
Click on the following link to access the Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2008.