Low-Carb, High-Quality Diet Linked to Lower Mortality Rates in People with Type 2 Diabetes, Study Finds

The study aims to investigate the relationship between postdiagnosis low-carbohydrate diet (LCD) patterns and mortality in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Using data from the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study, the team calculated an overall total LCD score (TLCDS) based on the percentage of energy as total carbohydrates. They also derived vegetable (VLCDS), animal (ALCDS), healthy (HLCDS), and unhealthy (ULCDS) LCD scores that emphasized different sources and quality of macronutrients. Multivariable-adjusted Cox models were used to examine the relationship between the LCDS and mortality.

The study found the following key findings:

1. The study followed 10,101 incident T2D cases, documenting 4,595 deaths during follow-up, of which 1,389 were due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and 881 to cancer.
2. The team found that greater adherence to LCD patterns emphasising high-quality sources of macronutrients was significantly associated with lower total, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality.
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TLCDS, VLCDS, and HLCDS increase of 10 points from prediagnosis to postdiagnosis were associated with 12%, 25%, and 25% lower total mortality, respectively.
There were no significant associations found for ALCDS or ULCDS.

Greater adherence to LCD patterns emphasising high-quality macronutrient sources was significantly associated with lower total, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality in people with T2D.

The study's results highlight the importance of dietary patterns in managing T2D and reducing mortality risk. Lead author Dr. Yang Hu stated, " Our findings suggest that not all low-carbohydrate diets are created equal and that healthier versions that emphasize foods like vegetables, nuts, and whole grains may be more effective than other diets in lowering the risk of mortality in Type 2 Diabetes patients."

Reference:

Yang Hu, Gang Liu, Edward Yu, Biqi Wang, Clemens Wittenbecher, JoAnn E. Manson, Eric B. Rimm, Liming Liang, Kathryn Rexrode, Walter C. Willett, Frank B. Hu, Qi Sun; Low-Carbohydrate Diet Scores and Mortality Among Adults With Incident Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care 1 April 2023; 46 (4): 874–884. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc22-2310