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The ketogenic diet is a healthy therapeutic option for patients with obesity, according to a randomized controlled trial published in Nutrients. The researchers compared the healthy ketogenic diet (HKD) and an energy-restricted diet (ERD) for weight loss and metabolic improvements in 80 adults with obesity (BMI 27.5 kg/m² or greater) over 6 months. Both groups followed an energy-restricted diet by reducing saturated and trans fats; the HKD group also limited net carbs to 50 g or fewer per day. The HKD led to greater weight loss (-7.8 ±5.2 kg vs -4.2 ±5.6 kg; P=0.01) and percentage weight reduction (9.3 ±5.9% vs 4.9 ±5.8%; P=0.004) compared with the ERD. Significant metabolic benefits included reductions in glycated hemoglobin (-0.3% vs -0.1%; P=0.008), systolic BP (-7.7 mmHg vs -2.6 mmHg; P=0.005), and aspartate transaminase levels (-7.6 IU/L vs 0.6 IU/L; P=0.01). Both diets avoided increases in LDL-cholesterol.
