According to a new meta-analysis published in the journalDiabetic Medicine, restriction of carbohydrate diet may not have any significant overall effects on glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, a low-carbohydrate diet (50-130 g/day) was associated with a short-term improvement (up to 6 months) in glycaemic control.
Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 25 randomised controlled trials (n=2132) comparing carbohydrate restriction vs control, identified through a literature search on electronic databases.
The pooled results of all trials showed that restricting the quantity of carbohydrate did not show any significant overall effect on HbA1c levels (weighted mean difference [WMD], –0.09%; P=.30) and body weight (WMD, –0.13 kg; P=.22). However, a subgroup analysis showed that a low carbohydrate diet significantly reduced HbA1c levels up to ≤6 months (5 studies; WMD, –0.49%; P<.001).
“Current guidelines should imitate the short-term improvements in glycaemic control that low carbohydrate diet (50–130 g/day) may offer as the evidence-based approach in patients with T2D,” the authors suggested.
