Weight-loss induced by carbohydrate restriction does not negatively affect health-related quality of life and cognition in people with type 2 diabetes: A randomised controlled trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the effects of weight loss induced by a carbohydrate-restricted high-protein diet on health-related quality of life and cognition in adults with type 2 diabetes and overweight/obesity.
Results Summary
Both diets led to similar weight loss and improved physical health, but the high-protein diet showed a non-significant trend toward better mental health. However, it worsened psychomotor speed compared to the control diet, while global cognition, attention, and verbal memory remained unaffected.
Population
Adults with type 2 diabetes and overweight/obesity (mean HbA1c 7.5%, BMI 34.5 kg/m²).
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
weight loss induced by dietary carbohydrate restriction | increase | Physical Component Summary (PCS) | adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and overweight/obesity | 2.7 [1.1; 4.2] (CD diet) and 2.1 [0.7; 3.7] (CRHP diet) | improved | #1 |
CRHP diet | increase | Mental Component Summary (MCS) | adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and overweight/obesity | 2.0 [-0.7; 4.8] | resulted in a clinically relevant improvement | #2 |
CRHP diet | no change | global cognition | adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and overweight/obesity | - | were unaffected | #3 |
CRHP diet | no change | attention | adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and overweight/obesity | - | were unaffected | #4 |
CRHP diet | no change | verbal memory | adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and overweight/obesity | - | were unaffected | #5 |
CRHP diet | decrease | Symbol Digit Modality Test (psychomotor speed) | adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and overweight/obesity | -4.1 [-7.2;-1.1] | selectively worsened | #6 |
weight loss | increase | physical health | adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and overweight/obesity | - | improved | #7 |
weight loss through moderate carbohydrate restriction | no change | health-related quality of life (HRQoL) | patients with T2D | - | has no clinically important impact | #8 |
weight loss through moderate carbohydrate restriction | no change | global cognition | patients with T2D | - | has no clinically important impact | #9 |
BACKGROUND & AIMS: We evaluated the effect of weight loss induced by dietary carbohydrate restriction on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and cognition in type 2 diabetes (T2D). METHODS: In this randomised parallel trial, 72 adults with T2D and overweight/obesity (mean ± SD, HbA RESULTS: Both diet groups achieved a 5.8 kg weight loss and improved PCS (median [25th;75th percentiles], CD: 2.7 [1.1; 4.2] vs. CRHP: 2.1 [0.7; 3.7]), with no difference between diets. The CRHP diet resulted in a clinically relevant improvement of MCS, albeit non-significantly different compared with the change after the CD diet (2.0 [-0.7; 4.8], p = 0.15). Global cognition, attention, and verbal memory were unaffected by the CRHP diet, which selectively worsened the Symbol Digit Modality Test assessing psychomotor speed when compared with the CD diet (-4.1 [-7.2;-1.1], p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Physical health improved by weight loss independently of macronutrient distribution, while mental health and cognition may be affected by the amount of carbohydrate, protein and fat in the diet. Collectively, our data suggest that weight loss through moderate carbohydrate restriction has no clinically important impact on HRQoL and global cognition in patients with T2D. Registered under ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier no. NCT03814694.