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Exceptional Glycemic Control With Very Low-Carbohydrate Diet

Low rates of adverse events for children and adults with T1DM consuming very low-carb diet

TUESDAY, May 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For children and adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), consuming a very low-carbohydrate diet (VLCD) is associated with exceptional glycemic control, according to a study published online May 7 in Pediatrics.

Belinda S. Lennerz, M.D., Ph.D., from Boston Children’s Hospital, and colleagues surveyed adults with T1DM who followed a VLCD and parents of children who did so. The respondents were part of an international social media group. Current hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), change in HbA1c, total daily insulin dose, and adverse events were assessed among 316 respondents, 42 percent of whom were parents of children with T1DM.

The researchers obtained suggestive evidence of T1DM for 273 respondents (86 percent). The mean age at diagnosis was 16±14 years, and duration of diabetes was 11±13 years. Participants had followed a VLCD for a mean of 2.2±3.9 years; the mean daily carbohydrate intake was 36±15 g. The mean HbA1c was 5.67±0.66 percent. In the past year, only 2 percent of respondents reported diabetes-related hospitalizations, including 1 percent each for ketoacidosis and hypoglycemia.

“Exceptional glycemic control of T1DM with low rates of adverse events was reported by a community of children and adults who consume a VLCD,” the authors write. “The generalizability of these findings required further studies, including high-quality randomized controlled trials.”

Some authors reported receiving royalties from books related to diabetes management; several authors disclosed financial ties to pharmaceutical and diet companies.

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