A 6-Month,Office-Based,Low-Carbohydrate Diet Intervention in Obese Teens

Abstract

Background. Previous studies have shown the success of a low-carbohydrate diet (LCD) in adults. In one study, the LCD has also been shown as safe and effective in teens, the study period was only 12 weeks. Furthermore, there is no information on whether the LCD is a practical intervention in a pediatric office setting. Objective. The object of this study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of a LCD in obese children in a primary care pediatric setting. Design/Methods . The study was done in 11 community pediatric practices. Children ages 12 to 18 years with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 95th percentile were put on a LCD of less than 50 grams of carbohydrate daily. Results . A total of 38 of the 63 teens finished the 6-month study and 32 (84%) lost weight (range from a gain of 5.5 kg to a loss of 23.9 kg). There was also a significant decrease in mean BMI (34.9 to 32.5). Conclusions. The LCD appears to an effective and practical office-based intervention in obese teenagers.

Keywords

adolescents low-carbohydrate diet obesity

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