The Effects of a Low-Carbohydrate High-Fat Diet and Physical Exercise on Type 2 Diabetic Patients: A Review

Abstract

Diabetes is a worldwide health problem and is prevalent in both developed and developing countries. Type 2 diabetes is characterized as being insulin resistant with inadequate insulin response to maintain a normal concentration of glucose in the blood. It is estimated that Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90-95% of all diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can be described as a chronic and progressive disease, caused by a combination of resistance to insulin action and impaired insulin secretion, where obesity and overweight, due to excess body fat with fat distributed in the upper body are the main complications of insulin resistance. With the dramatic increase in obesity, low-carbohydrate, high-protein, high-fat diets have become increasingly popular. Diets limiting the amount of carbohydrate intake have been called low-carbohydrate or very-low-carbohydrate, high-protein, high-fat, Banting and ketogenic diets, and are characterized by 50g or less carbohydrates per day. High fat low carbohydrate diets have been found to be different from the traditional diets of most cultures. Recent studies however show that there are potential benefits associated with reducing carbohydrates and increasing fat intake. Low-carbohydrate diets have become very popular for weight loss. Although they may improve some metabolic markers, particularly in Type 2 diabetes mellitus, they seemingly have an effect on body weight, glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors as well. Research shows that by reducing aerobic exercise capacity; poor glycemic control, increase in cardiovascular risk and elevated glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) are common with Type 2 diabetics. Aerobic exercise capacity and glycemic control in Type 2 diabetes can be improved by being physically active. Regular physical activity along with diet therapy provides health benefits and has been found to be essential for primary and secondary prevention of most metabolic disorders.

Establishing a proof of concept for the effects of low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet (LCHFD) and physical activity on body composition in type 2 diabetes

“…In this regard, the most used and clinically recommended diets to improve or maintain an ideal body composition have been found to be high-carbohydrate, low-fat, energy deficit diets ( Avenell et al., 2004 ; Foster et al., 2003 ). Regardless of these guidelines that fat intake should only be on occasion and in small quantities, obesity prevalence rates continue to increase ( Breukelman et al., 2018 ; Santos et al., 2012 ). This has led to the rise of numerous novel, and popular, treatments such as the low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets (LCHFD) ( Foster et al., 2003 ).…”