[The effects of a very low carbohydrate diet intervention on improving cardiovascular risk factors in obese subjects]

To investigate the effects of a very low carbohydrate diet (VLCD) on improving cardiovascular risk factors in obese individuals.

A 8-week VLCD was given to 35 healthy obese subjects and the control group was consisted of 35 healthy volunteers. Multi-cardiovascular risk factors were investigated, including weight, waist circumference, BMI, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting insulin (FIns), lipid profiles, urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR), C-reactive protein (CRP) , TNFα and adiponectin.

At the baseline of the study, compared with the healthy control group, all the cardiovascular risk factors were significantly more deteriorated in the obese subjects (all P values <0.05). At the end of the study, the obese subjects showed significant decrease in their mean weight and waist circumference [(8.5 ± 0.7) kg and (6.6 ± 1.1)cm, respectively; all P values < 0.01]. Significant decrease was also found in the levels of systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), FIns, TC and TG (all P values < 0.05), while no significant change of FPG, HDL-C and LDL-C. The levels of UACR, CRP and TNFα were all significantly decreased [(1.86 ± 0.86) µg/mg, (1.15 ± 0.45) mg/L and (0.94 ± 0.21) ng/L, respectively; all P values < 0.05], while the level of adiponectin was significantly increased [(2.12 ± 0.59) mg/L, P < 0.01].

VLCD is an effective intervention in obese subjects which could improve the cardiovascular risk factors by the modest weight loss.