Research
Energy balance
Very low-calorie diets (VLCD) are suitable for short-term use in specific clinical populations, such as those with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), to improve glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors, but are not recommended for long-term use or for older adults at risk of sarcopenia.
If you have Type 2 Diabetes, a very low-calorie diet might help your blood sugar and weight quickly, but only under doctor supervision and for a short time. Do not use this if you are older and worried about muscle loss.
GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
VLCDs have been demonstrated to positively affect the health of persons with type 2 diabetes (T2D)... VLCD/VLCKD can be used in the short term as an effective rapid weight loss strategy to improve glycemic control and reduce cardiovascular risk factors... However, we do not recommend VLCD for individuals at risk for sarcopenia, especially older adults.
Why this rating
Supported by meta-analyses and umbrella reviews cited in the text.
Source
The impact and utility of very low-calorie diets: the role of exercise and protein in preserving skeletal muscle mass
Tom A.H. Janssen et al. · Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care · 2023
DOI 10.1097/mco.0000000000000980
narrative_reviewCited 31×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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