The study examines the effects of an intermittent caloric restriction diet of two days in patients with type 2 diabetes

July 20, 2018

Low Row: A calorie restricted diet two days a week was comparable to a daily caloric restriction diet for glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Why Research Is Interesting: Conventional weight loss diets with daily caloric restriction are difficult to stick over time. Intermittent calorie restriction diets can be effective for weight loss. This study examined the long-term effects of an intermittent two-day calorie restriction diet with a 12-month continuous caloric restriction diet for patients with type 2 diabetes.

What and When ]: 137 patients with type 2 diabetes were badigned to 1 in 2 diets between April 2015 and September 2017

What (Study Interventions and Results) : 70 patients badigned to an intermittent caloric restriction diet (500 -600 calories / day) two non-consecutive days with their regular diet the other five days a week and 67 patients on a daily calorie restriction diet (1200-1 500 calories / day) for 12 months (interventions); change in hemoglobin A _1c (main result)

Comment (Study Study) : This was a randomized trial of non-inferiority. This type of randomized clinical trial is designed to evaluate whether an intervention is "no worse" than the comparison intervention.

Authors: Peter M. Clifton, MD, Ph.D., from the University of South Australia, Adelaide, and coauthors

Results: The Mean Variation of hemoglobin A _1c after a year was comparable between the two regimes.

Limitations of the study: The study population had well controlled type 2 diabetes; drug adjustments may complicate changes in the interpretation of hemoglobin A levels _1c ; and study participants had more contact with a dietitian than usual in a clinical setting