Unlimited energy, restricted carbohydrate diet improves lipid parameters in obese children

Metab Syndr Relat Disord. 2008 Spring;6(1):32-6

BACKGROUND:

Childhood obesity is a leading health concern. We have previously demonstrated the effectiveness of a restricted-carbohydrate, unlimited energy diet for weight reduction in elementary school-aged children. To our knowledge, there are no studies that have looked at the effect of this diet on lipid profiles in elementary school-aged children. Therefore, the objective of this pilot study was to examine the effect of a restricted-carbohydrate, unlimited protein, unlimited energy diet on lipid profiles in obese children 6 to 12 years of age.

METHODS:

Overweight children (body mass index >97%) referred to our obesity clinic were treated with a restricted-carbohydrate (<30 grams daily), unlimited protein, and unlimited energy diet. Weight, height, body mass index, and fasting lipid profiles were obtained at baseline and at 10 weeks on each patient.

RESULTS:

Twenty-seven patients were enrolled in our study, with a total of 18 patients returning for our 10 week follow-up (67%). The study group included 10 males and 8 females, with an age range of 6 to 12 years. Both total serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels showed a significant reduction; 24.2 (P = 0.018) and 56.9 (P = 0.015) mg/dL, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS:

We have demonstrated a significant decrease in total cholesterol and triglycerides in elementary school-aged children after 10 weeks of a restricted-carbohydrate, unlimited protein, and unlimited energy diet. We suggest that this diet may decrease cardiovascular risk factors in obese children. Long-term studies will be needed to substantiate these data.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18370834

Good changes in only 10 weeks...now documented

Awesome!

In which study did they aggressively lower cholesterol only to find out that patients were dying from that? I think it's the ACCORD study. Anyway, the point is that if during that study people died because their cholesterol was lowered, it's only fair to ask if the study here isn't simply going with the erroneous idea that cholesterol is bad and should be lowered. If that's the case, then the conclusions are erroneous as well.

i like how the authors appear to be afraid of using the word "fat". the diet was low-carb, unlimited-protein, unlimited- "energy". i guess that eased the parents' minds somewhat.

The ACCORD study was aggressive lowering of blood sugar.

BTW pb, do these pants make me look like I have unlimited energy?

Since I know Dr. Bailes (one of the researchers on this one), I think I can safely say that the intent was to highlight a carbohydrate restricted diet is safe and beneficial in children. You'll note in the abstract, the two things measured were simply total cholesterol and triglycerides, not LDL....although I would have liked to see HDL too. With the prevalent view that lipid markers are important, research like this, IMO, is important if we're going to get anywhere in having carbohydrate restriction adopted, especially in pediatrics....lipid values may not matter much to those of us who read and 'get' the fallacy of the theories which support it, but if research like this can open the door to those entrenched in the dogma to see such a dietary approach isn't going to kill kids, it helps IMO!

ROTFL!!!!!