Research
Macro partitioning
Macronutrient composition (low-fat vs. low-carbohydrate) has no significant difference on long-term weight loss or glycemic control in obese diabetic patients; total energy reduction is the primary driver of weight change.
You do not need to choose between low-carb or low-fat diets for superior results. Both work equally well for weight loss if you reduce your total calories. Focus on eating a balanced amount of carbohydrates (55-65% of energy) and maintaining a caloric deficit.
GoodRefutesHIGH confidence
Studies applying different ratios of carbohydrates, protein, and fat showed no significant difference in weight and waist circumference reduction... The reduction in total energy intake contributed to weight change.
Why this rating
Supported by multiple RCTs cited (Sacks et al., Gardner et al.).
Source
Clinical Nutrition Therapy for Weight Control in Obese Diabetic Patients
Mihyang Kim · Journal of Korean Diabetes · 2022
DOI 10.4093/jkd.2022.23.3.206
narrative_review
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- For obese diabetic patients, a moderate caloric deficit (reducing intake by 500 kcal/day to achieve ~0.5 kg/week loss) is the recommended standard, whereas extremely low-calorie diets (VLCD) are not recommended due to unverified long-term effectiveness and increased risks of hypoglycemia and ketoacidosis.Good
- Regular, planned meal timing (4-5 hours between meals) and using smaller rice bowls (190-200 mL) are effective behavioral interventions for controlling portion sizes and preventing postprandial blood sugar spikes in diabetic patients.Moderate
Related findings · Macro partitioning
- Total daily protein intake of 1.6 g/kg/day is sufficient for maximizing resistance training-induced muscle gains, with an upper confidence interval of 2.2 g/kg/day.Strong
- Resistance exercise training combined with sufficient dietary protein intake acts synergistically to maximize skeletal muscle hypertrophy, with protein intake saturating around 1.6 g/kg/day for general populations and potentially requiring 2.0-2.2 g/kg/day for resistance-trained individuals.Strong
- Trans fats should be completely eliminated from the diet, as they increase LDL cholesterol, decrease HDL cholesterol, and are directly associated with increased coronary risk.Strong
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