Health experts have long debated the best dietary practices for people with severe health conditions like hypertension, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes, especially when coupled with obesity.
A recent study has provided new insights on this subject.
The Study: Low-Carb vs. DASH Diet
In a trial involving 94 adults with these health conditions, researchers explored two different diets – a very low-carbohydrate (VLC) or ketogenic diet, and a DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet.
They wanted to know which diet was more beneficial.
They also considered the impact of added support activities. These activities included mindful eating, positive emotion regulation, social support, and cooking education.
The Results: A Clear Winner
The study’s findings were significant. On average, the VLC diet led to better health outcomes compared to the DASH diet.
The benefits included:
- A larger drop in systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) – it fell by around 9.8 mmHg with the VLC diet compared to a 5.2 mmHg reduction with the DASH diet.
- Better control of blood sugar levels, as shown by a greater decrease in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) – a measure of average blood sugar over three months.
- More weight loss – those on the VLC diet lost around 19 pounds, whereas those on the DASH diet lost approximately 10 pounds.
Interestingly, adding extra support activities did not significantly affect the results.
The Context: A Significant Health Concern
These findings are important because many adults in the U.S. are living with these health conditions. About 47% of U.S. adults have hypertension, and roughly the same number have prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.
Furthermore, about 42% are obese. All these conditions can lead to serious health problems such as stroke, kidney failure, heart attack, and early death.
While lifestyle changes, including diet, are often the first line of treatment, there’s been a lot of debate about the best dietary approach.
The Takeaway: VLC Diet’s Potential Benefits
This study suggests that a very low carbohydrate diet could be more beneficial for adults who are overweight or obese and have hypertension, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes.
Compared to the DASH diet, the VLC diet led to greater improvements in blood pressure, blood sugar control, and weight loss over a four-month period.
The study was published in The Annals of Family Medicine journal, adding to the growing body of research on managing these prevalent health conditions through dietary changes.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies about how the Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and this plant nutrient could help reduce high blood pressure.
For more information about nutrition, please see recent studies that olive oil may help you live longer, and vitamin D could help lower the risk of autoimmune diseases.
The study was published in The Annals of Family Medicine.
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