Metabolic impact of a ketogenic diet compared to a hypocaloric diet in obese children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND

The effects of carbohydrate-restricted (ketogenic) diets on metabolic parameters in children have been incompletely assessed.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the efficacy and metabolic impact of ketogenic and hypocaloric diets in obese children and adolescents.

SUBJECTS: Fifty-eight obese subjects were placed on one of the two diets for 6 months.

METHODS

Anthropometric measurements, body composition, oral glucose/insulin tolerance test, lipidemic profile, high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin, whole-body insulin sensitivity index (WBISI), and homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were determined before and after each diet.

RESULTS

Both groups significantly reduced their weight, fat mass, waist circumference, fasting insulin, and HOMA-IR (p = 0.009 for ketogenic and p = 0.014 for hypocaloric), but the differences were greater in the ketogenic group. Both groups increased WBISI significantly, but only the ketogenic group increased HMW adiponectin significantly (p = 0.025).

CONCLUSIONS

The ketogenic diet revealed more pronounced improvements in weight loss and metabolic parameters than the hypocaloric diet and may be a feasible and safe alternative for children's weight loss.