A Battle Royale to Determine the Best Diet for Type 1 Diabetes

One Diet to Rule Them All

An increasing number of adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) are also overweight or obese, with an estimated obesity prevalence of 37% among adults with T1D in the U.S. T1D increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) [178], so a further increase in CVD risk from excess body weight is a severe concern in this population.

The best weight-loss diet for people with T1D must not only efficiently produce weight loss but do so safely, which means it must not increase the risk of unhealthy blood glucose levels. However, more research must be done comparing the effectiveness of different weight-loss diets for people with T1D.

This 3-month randomized trial assigned 38 participants (ages 19–30, 79% women, 21% men) with T1D and overweight or obesity to one of three diet groups:

• Low-carbohydrate diet (LCD, hypocaloric): 1,200–1,800 kcal/day, 15%–20% of energy intake from carbohydrates (45–75 grams per day, depending on total energy intake), and less than 10% of energy intake from saturated fat.
• Look-ahead diet (LAD, hypocaloric): 1,200–1,800 kcal/day, less than 30% of energy intake from fat, and less than 10% of saturated fat.
• Mediterranean diet (M.D., ad libitum): an emphasis…