2008/08/27 by Arne Astrup · 1 citation
Chemistry · Medicine · Nursing · #Body weight #Carbohydrate #Chemistry #Diabetes mellitus #Diet and metabolism studies #Endocrinology #Food composition and properties #Food science #Glycemic #Glycemic index #Incidence (geometry) #Internal medicine #Medicine #Metabolic syndrome #Nutritional Studies and Diet #Obesity #Type 2 diabetes #Weight gain #Weight loss
paper · doi:10.1177/0148607108321707
openalex publication_date 2008/08/27 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
BACKGROUND: The optimal diet for prevention of weight gain, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes is fat-reduced, fiber-rich, high in low-energy density carbohydrates (fruit, vegetables, and whole grain products), and intake of energy-containing drinks is restricted. RESULTS ON DIETARY FAT: The reduction of the total fat content of ad libitum diets produces weight loss in both the short term and over periods as long as 7 years. A fat-reduced diet, combined with physical activity, reduces almost all risk factors for cardiovascular disease and reduces the incidence of type 2 diabetes. The combination of reduction of dietary fat and energy, and increased physical activity has been shown to reduce the incidence of diabetes by 58% in 2 major trials. In post hoc analyses, the reduction in dietary fat (energy density) and increase in fiber were the strongest predictors of weight loss and diabetes-protective effects. LOW-GLYCEMIC INDEX AND HIGH-PROTEIN DIETS: It remains to be shown whether a low-glycemic index diet provides any benefit to weight control beyond this. Low-carbohydrate diets may be an option for inducing weight loss in obese patients, but a very low intake of carbohydrate-rich foods is not commensurate with a healthy and palatable diet in the long term. However, there is evidence that increasing the protein content of the diet from 15% up to 20%-30%, at the expense of carbohydrates, increases the satiating effect of the diet, and induces a spontaneous weight loss, and this could turn out to be a preferred option for patients with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.