An eight-week dietary intervention study conducted at the University of Alabama at Birmingham found a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet improved body composition and metabolic health markers in older adults with obesity, according to results published in the journal Nutrition and Metabolism.
The study was led by Amy Goss, PhD, RDN, an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition Sciences. Researchers provided eggs to participants in the intervention group and instructed them to consume at least three per day as part of the prescribed dietary protocol. [1] This research adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting dietary composition, independent of caloric restriction, can significantly impact health outcomes for at-risk populations.
Study Design and Objectives
Researchers stated their aim was to determine if a very low-carbohydrate, high-fat (VLCHF) diet would deplete specific fat stores while preserving lean mass without intentional caloric restriction in older adults with obesity. [2] The goal was to improve outcomes related to cardiometabolic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Older adults with obesity are described as being at particularly high risk for developing these conditions. The study focused on the premise that the deposition of fat in certain areas, such as the abdominal cavity and skeletal muscle, may confer the greatest risk for disease development rather than total fat mass alone. [1] The research was designed to examine the diet’s effects on insulin sensitivity and lipid profiles.
Key Findings on Weight and Fat Loss
After the eight-week intervention, the group consuming the very low-carbohydrate diet lost more weight and total fat mass than the control diet group, despite instructions to all participants to consume a weight-maintaining diet. [3] The researchers reported the diet specifically targeted the depletion of
Fat Diet Study Shows Metabolic Improvements in Older Adults with Obesity – NaturalNews.com
