Reductions in food cravings are similar with low-fat weight loss diets differing in protein and carbohydrate in overweight and obese adults with type 2 diabetes: A randomized clinical trial.

Abstract

Food cravings are common in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Higher-protein diets are effective in improving satiety but their effect on cravings is unclear. It was hypothesized that a high protein (HP) diet would provide greater reductions in cravings than an isocaloric higher-carbohydrate diet (HC). In a randomized controlled trial, 61 adults (54% males) with T2D (means ± SD: BMI 34.3 ± 5.1 kg/m2; aged 55 ± 8 years) consumed either a HP diet (mean across study: 29% protein, 34% carbohydrate, 31% fat) or an isocaloric HC diet (21%:48%:24%) for 12-weeks each of weight loss (WL) and weight maintenance (WM). The Food Craving Inventory (FCI), measuring types of foods craved and the General Food Craving Questionnaires measuring traits (G-FCQ-T) and states (G-FCQ-S) were assessed at Weeks 0, 12 and 24. Weight changes were similar between groups (means ± SEM: WL: -7.8 ± 0.6 kg, WM: -0.6 ± 0.4 kg). No group effects or group x time interactions were found for any outcome (P ≥ .07). Independent of group, all food cravings (except carbohydrates) and G-FCQ-T subscales decreased over the 24-week study (P ≤ .04) with sweets and fast food cravings, loss of control and emotional cravings reducing following WL (P ≤ .03). Obsessive preoccupation with food decreased following both phases (WL: P = .03; WM: P = .001). Weight was associated with several FCI subscales (r ≥ 0.24, P ≤ .04). In conclusion, both the HP and HC diets provided significant reductions in food cravings after similar weight losses which were maintained when weight was stabilized.

• Authors: Nerylee A Watson, Kathryn A Dyer, Jonathan D Buckley, Grant D Brinkworth, Alison M Coates, Gaynor Parfitt, Peter R C Howe, Manny Noakes, Karen J Murphy
• Journal: Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.) (Nutr Res) Vol. 57 Pg. 56-66 (09 2018) ISSN: 1879-0739 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 30122196 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Dietary Carbohydrates
• Dietary Fats
• Dietary Proteins

Topics

• Aged
• Attention
• Body Mass Index
• Craving
• Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 (complications)
• Diet, Fat-Restricted
• Diet, Reducing
• Dietary Carbohydrates (administration & dosage)
• Dietary Fats (administration & dosage)
• Dietary Proteins (administration & dosage)
• Emotions
• Energy Intake
• Female
• Humans
• Inhibition, Psychological
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Obesity (complications, diet therapy, psychology)
• Overweight
• Satiation
• Weight Loss