Ketogenic Diet Intervention on Metabolic and Psychiatric Health in Bipolar and Schizophrenia: A Pilot Trial.

The ketogenic diet (KD, also known as metabolic therapy) has been successful in the treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and epilepsy. More recently, this treatment has shown promise in the treatment of psychiatric illness. We conducted a 4-month pilot study to investigate the effects of a KD on individuals with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder with existing metabolic abnormalities. Twenty-three participants were enrolled in a single-arm trial. Results showcased improvements in metabolic health, with no participants meeting metabolic syndrome criteria by study conclusion. Adherent individuals experienced significant reduction in weight (12 %), BMI (12 %), waist circumference (13 %), and visceral adipose tissue (36 %). Observed biomarker enhancements in this population include a 27 % decrease in HOMA-IR, and a 25 % drop in triglyceride levels. In psychiatric measurements, participants with schizophrenia showed a 32 % reduction in Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale scores. Overall Clinical Global Impression (CGI) severity improved by an average of 31 %, and the proportion of participants that started with elevated symptomatology improved at least 1-point on CGI (79 %). Psychiatric outcomes across the cohort encompassed increased life satisfaction (17 %) and enhanced sleep quality (19 %). This pilot trial underscores the potential advantages of adjunctive ketogenic dietary treatment in individuals grappling with serious mental illness.

Protocol for a randomized controlled trial comparing a very low-carbohydrate diet or moderate-carbohydrate plate-method diet for type 2 diabetes: the LEGEND (Lifestyle Education about Nutrition for Diabetes) trial.

BACKGROUND: Optimal carbohydrate intake is an important and controversial area in the nutritional management of type 2 diabetes. Some evidence indicates that reducing overall carbohydrate intake with a low- or very low-carbohydrate eating plan can improve glycemic control compared to following eating plans that involve greater carbohydrate intake. However, critical knowledge gaps currently prevent clear recommendations about carbohydrate intake levels. METHODS: The LEGEND (Lifestyle Education about Nutrition for Diabetes) Trial aims to compare a very low-carbohydrate diet to a moderate-carbohydrate plate-method diet for glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes. This two-site trial plans to recruit 180 adults with type 2 diabetes. We will randomize participants to either a 20-session group-based diet and lifestyle intervention that teaches either a very low-carbohydrate diet or a moderate-carbohydrate plate-method diet. We will assess participants at study entry and 4 and 12 months later. The primary outcome is HbA1c, and secondary outcomes include inflammation (high sensitivity C-reactive protein), body weight, changes in diabetes medications, lipids (small particle LDL, HDL, triglycerides), skeletal metabolism (bone mineral density from dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and bone turnover markers serum procollagen type I N propeptide and serum C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen), and body composition (percent body fat, percent lean body mass). DISCUSSION: The LEGEND trial is a randomized controlled trial to assess optimal carbohydrate intake in type 2 diabetes by evaluating the effects of a very low-carbohydrate diet vs. a moderate-carbohydrate plate-method diet over a year-long period. The research addresses important gaps in the evidence base for the nutritional management of type 2 diabetes by providing data on potential benefits and adverse effects of different levels of carbohydrate intake. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05237128. Registered on February 11, 2022.

A very low-carbohydrate diabetes prevention program for veterans with prediabetes: a single-arm mixed methods pilot study.

Introduction: All Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers offer the MOVE! Weight Management Program to help patients achieve and maintain a healthy weight through a calorie-restricted, low-fat diet and increased physical activity. Yet, most MOVE! participants do not achieve clinically significant weight loss of ≥5%. A carbohydrate-restricted diet may help more Veterans to achieve ≥5% weight loss. Methods: This was a single-arm explanatory sequential mixed methods pilot study conducted in one VA health care system. Veterans with prediabetes and body mass index ≥25 kg/m2 were invited to participate in a group-based, virtual, very low-carbohydrate Diabetes Prevention Program (VLC-DPP) consisting of 23 sessions over 12 months. Participants were taught to follow a very low-carbohydrate eating pattern, defined as 20-35 grams of net carbohydrates per day. The primary outcomes were measures of feasibility and acceptability, including program uptake and session attendance. Secondary outcomes included change in weight, hemoglobin A1c, lipids, and patient-reported measures of food cravings, stress eating, perceived health status, and motivation. Interviews were conducted at 6 months to identify factors that facilitated or hindered participants' achievement of ≥5% weight loss. Results: Among 108 screened Veterans, 21 enrolled in the study (19%), and 18 were included in the analytic cohort. On average, participants attended 12.4/16 weekly sessions and 3.6/8 bimonthly or monthly sessions. At 12 months, mean percent weight loss was 9.4% (SD = 10.7) with 9 participants (50%) achieving ≥5% weight loss. Three factors facilitated achievement of ≥5% weight loss among 10/16 interviewees: (1) enjoyment of low-carbohydrate foods; (2) careful monitoring of carbohydrate intake; and (3) reduced hunger and food cravings. Three factors hindered achievement of ≥5% weight loss among 6/16 interviewees: (1) food cravings, particularly for sweets; (2) challenges with maintaining a food log; and (3) difficulty with meal planning. Conclusion: A VLC-DPP is feasible and acceptable and shows preliminary efficacy among Veterans with prediabetes. The program's weight loss effectiveness compared to standard MOVE! should be evaluated in a larger-scale trial. Such a program may be offered in addition to the standard MOVE! program to expand the menu of evidence-based lifestyle counseling options for Veterans. Clinical Trial Registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04881890, identifier NCT04881890.

Psychological Support Strategies for Adults With Type 2 Diabetes in a Very Low-Carbohydrate Web-Based Program: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: A very low-carbohydrate (VLC) nutritional strategy may improve glycemic control and weight loss in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, the supplementary behavioral strategies that might be able to improve outcomes using this nutritional strategy are uncertain. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to compare the impact of adding 3 different supplementary behavioral strategies to a web-based VLC diet intervention. To our knowledge, this is the first trial to randomize participants to different frequencies of dietary self-monitoring. METHODS: The study included 112 overweight adults with T2D (hemoglobin A1c ≥6.5%) taking no antiglycemic medications or only metformin. They received a remotely delivered 12-month VLC diet intervention. Participants were randomly assigned through a full factorial 2×2×2 design to supplementary strategies: either daily or monthly dietary self-monitoring, either mindful eating training or not, and either positive affect skills training or not. Our research goal was to determine whether 3 different supplemental strategies had at least a medium effect size (Cohen d=0.5). RESULTS: Overall, the VLC intervention led to statistically significant improvements in glycemic control (-0.70%, 95% CI -1.04% to -0.35%; P<.001), weight loss (-6.82%, 95% CI -8.57% to -5.08%; P<.001), and depressive symptom severity (Cohen d -0.67, 95% CI -0.92 to -0.41; P<.001). Furthermore, 30% (25/83) of the participants taking metformin at baseline reduced or discontinued their metformin. Only 1 Cohen d point estimate reached 0.5; daily (vs monthly) dietary self-monitoring had a worse impact on depressive symptoms severity (Cohen d=0.47, 95% CI -0.02 to 0.95; P=.06). None of the strategies had a statistically significant effect on outcomes. For changes in our primary outcome, hemoglobin A1c, the daily (vs monthly) dietary self-monitoring impact was 0.42% (95% CI -0.28% to 1.12%); for mindful eating, it was -0.47% (95% CI -1.15% to 0.22%); and for positive affect, it was 0.12% (95% CI -0.57% to 0.82%). Other results for daily (vs monthly) dietary self-monitoring were mixed, suggesting an increase in weight (0.98%) and depressive symptoms (Cohen d=0.47), less intervention satisfaction (Cohen d=-0.20), more sessions viewed (3.02), and greater dietary adherence (Cohen d=0.24). For mindful eating, the results suggested a benefit for dietary adherence (Cohen d=0.24) and intervention satisfaction (Cohen d=0.30). For positive affect, the results suggested a benefit for depressive symptoms (Cohen d=-0.32), the number of sessions viewed (3.68), dietary adherence (Cohen d=0.16), and intervention satisfaction (Cohen d=0.25). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our results support the use of a VLC diet intervention in adults with T2D. The addition of monthly (not daily) dietary self-monitoring, mindful eating, and positive affect skills training did not show a definitive benefit, but it is worth further testing. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03037528; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03037528.

Comparing Very Low-Carbohydrate vs DASH Diets for Overweight or Obese Adults With Hypertension and Prediabetes or Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Trial.

PURPOSE: Adults with a triple multimorbidity (hypertension, prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, and overweight or obesity), are at increased risk of serious health complications, but experts disagree on which dietary patterns and support strategies should be recommended. METHODS: We randomized 94 adults from southeast Michigan with this triple multimorbidity using a 2 × 2 diet-by-support factorial design, comparing a very low-carbohydrate (VLC) diet vs a Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, as well as comparing results with and without multicomponent extra support (mindful eating, positive emotion regulation, social support, and cooking). RESULTS: Using intention-to-treat analyses, compared with the DASH diet, the VLC diet led to greater improvement in estimated mean systolic blood pressure (-9.77 mm Hg vs -5.18 mm Hg; P = .046), greater improvement in glycated hemoglobin (-0.35% vs -0.14%; P = .034), and greater improvement in weight (-19.14 lb vs -10.34 lb; P = .0003). The addition of extra support did not have a statistically significant effect on outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: For adults with hypertension, prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, and overweight or obesity, the VLC diet resulted in greater improvements in systolic blood pressure, glycemic control, and weight over a 4-month period compared with the DASH diet. These findings suggest that larger trials with longer follow-up are warranted to determine whether the VLC diet might be more beneficial for disease management than the DASH diet for these high-risk adults.

Testing a very low-carbohydrate adaption of the Diabetes Prevention Program among adults with prediabetes: study protocol for the Lifestyle Education about prediabetes (LEAP) trial.

BACKGROUND: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention's National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP) aims to help individuals with prediabetes avoid progression to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) through weight loss. Specifically, the NDPP teaches individuals to follow a low-fat, calorie-restricted diet and to engage in regular physical activity to achieve ≥ 5% body weight loss. Most NDPP participants, however, do not achieve this weight loss goal, and glycemic control remains largely unchanged. One promising opportunity to augment the NDPP's weight loss and glycemic effectiveness may be to teach participants to follow a very low-carbohydrate diet (VLCD), which can directly reduce post-prandial glycemia and facilitate weight loss by reducing circulating insulin and enabling lipolysis. To date, there have been no high-quality, randomized controlled trials to test whether a VLCD can prevent progression to T2DM among individuals with prediabetes. The aim of this study is to test the effectiveness of a VLCD version the NDPP (VLC-NDPP) versus the standard NDPP. We hypothesize the VLC-NDPP will demonstrate greater improvements in weight loss and glycemic control. METHODS: We propose to conduct a 12-month, 1:1, randomized controlled trial that will assign 300 adults with overweight or obesity and prediabetes to either the NDPP or VLC-NDPP. The primary outcome will be glycemic control as measured by change in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) from baseline to 12 months. Secondary outcomes will include percent body weight change and changes in glycemic variability, inflammatory markers, lipids, and interim HbA1c. We will evaluate progression to T2DM and initiation of anti-hyperglycemic agents. We will conduct qualitative interviews among a purposive sample of participants to explore barriers to and facilitators of dietary adherence. The principal quantitative analysis will be intent-to-treat using hierarchical linear mixed effects models to assess differences over time. DISCUSSION: The NDPP is the dominant public health strategy for T2DM prevention. Changing the program's dietary advice to include a carbohydrate-restricted eating pattern as an alternative option may enhance the program's effectiveness. If the VLC-NDPP shows promise, this trial would be a precursor to a multi-site trial with incident T2DM as the primary outcome. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT05235425. Registered February 11, 2022.

The Ketogenic Diet for Refractory Mental Illness: A Retrospective Analysis of 31 Inpatients.

Background and Hypothesis: The robust evidence base supporting the therapeutic benefit of ketogenic diets in epilepsy and other neurological conditions suggests this same metabolic approach may also benefit psychiatric conditions. Study Design: In this retrospective analysis of clinical care, 31 adults with severe, persistent mental illness (major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizoaffective disorder) whose symptoms were poorly controlled despite intensive psychiatric management were admitted to a psychiatric hospital and placed on a ketogenic diet restricted to a maximum of 20 grams of carbohydrate per day as an adjunct to conventional inpatient care. The duration of the intervention ranged from 6 to 248 days. Study Results: Three patients were unable to adhere to the diet for >14 days and were excluded from the final analysis. Among included participants, means and standard deviations (SDs) improved for the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores from 25.4 (6.3) to 7.7 (4.2), P < 0.001 and the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale from 29.6 (7.8) to 10.1 (6.5), P < 0.001. Among the 10 patients with schizoaffective illness, mean (SD) of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) scores improved from 91.4 (15.3) to 49.3 (6.9), P < 0.001. Significant improvements were also observed in metabolic health measures including weight, blood pressure, blood glucose, and triglycerides. Conclusions: The administration of a ketogenic diet in this semi-controlled setting to patients with treatment-refractory mental illness was feasible, well-tolerated, and associated with significant and substantial improvements in depression and psychosis symptoms and multiple markers of metabolic health.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring With Low-Carbohydrate Nutritional Coaching to Improve Type 2 Diabetes Control: Randomized Quality Improvement Program.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, with adverse health consequences largely related to hyperglycemia. Despite clinical practice guideline recommendations, effective pharmacotherapy, and interventions to support patients and providers, up to 60% of patients diagnosed with T2DM are estimated to have hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels above the recommended targets owing to multilevel barriers hindering optimal glycemic control. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to compare changes in HbA1c levels among patients with suboptimally controlled T2DM who were offered the opportunity to use an intermittently viewed continuous glucose monitor and receive personalized low-carbohydrate nutrition counseling (<100 g/day) versus those who received usual care (UC). METHODS: This was a 12-month, pragmatic, randomized quality improvement program. All adult patients with T2DM who received primary care at a university-affiliated primary care clinic (N=1584) were randomized to either the UC or the enhanced care (EC) group. Within each program arm, we identified individuals with HbA1c >7.5% (58 mmol/mol) who were medically eligible for tighter glycemic control, and we defined these subgroups as UC-high risk (UC-HR) or EC-HR. UC-HR participants (n=197) received routine primary care. EC-HR participants (n=185) were invited to use an intermittently viewed continuous glucose monitor and receive low-carbohydrate nutrition counseling. The primary outcome was mean change in HbA1c levels from baseline to 12 months using an intention-to-treat difference-in-differences analysis comparing EC-HR with UC-HR groups. We conducted follow-up semistructured interviews to understand EC-HR participant experiences with the intervention. RESULTS: HbA1c decreased by 0.41% (4.5 mmol/mol; P=.04) more from baseline to 12 months among participants in the EC-HR group than among those in UC-HR; however, only 61 (32.9%) of 185 EC-HR participants engaged in the program. Among the EC-HR participants who wore continuous glucose monitors (61/185, 32.9%), HbA1c was 1.1% lower at 12 months compared with baseline (P<.001). Interviews revealed themes related to EC-HR participants' program engagement and continuous glucose monitor use. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with suboptimally controlled T2DM, a combined approach that includes continuous glucose monitoring and low-carbohydrate nutrition counseling can improve glycemic control compared with the standard of care.

Impact of an online multicomponent very-low-carbohydrate program in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To study the impact of a very-low-carbohydrate (VLC) diet for 16 weeks in overweight or obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). DESIGN: Single-arm prospective pilot study. SETTING: We recruited participants using medical records from an academic medical center. PATIENTS: Twenty-nine overweight or obese women (body mass index, 25-50 kg/m2) with PCOS. INTERVENTIONS: We taught participants to follow a VLC diet and provided information about a variety of behavioral skills including mindfulness and positive affect using an online 16-week intervention. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in body weight, glycated hemoglobin, and PCOS-related quality of life. RESULTS: The intervention led to positive health outcomes including decreases in percent weight (mean difference = -7.67, SD = 6.10) and glycated hemoglobin level (mean difference = -0.21%, SD = 0.27), an increase in sex hormone binding globulin level (mean difference = 9.24 nmol/L, SD = 16.34), and increases in PCOS-related quality of life measures, including menstrual predictability (mean difference = 2.10, SD = 2.76) and body hair (mean difference = 1.14, SD = 1.04). The low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level increased (mean difference = 0.23 mmol/L, SD = 0.49). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that a VLC dietary intervention has potential to promote both weight loss and glycemic control in overweight and obese adults with PCOS, two key components in the prevention of type 2 diabetes. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03987854.

Alternative Dietary Patterns for Americans: Low-Carbohydrate Diets.

The decades-long dietary experiment embodied in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) focused on limiting fat, especially saturated fat, and higher carbohydrate intake has coincided with rapidly escalating epidemics of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) that are contributing to the progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and other diet-related chronic diseases. Moreover, the lack of flexibility in the DGA as it pertains to low carbohydrate approaches does not align with the contemporary trend toward precision nutrition. We argue that personalizing the level of dietary carbohydrate should be a high priority based on evidence that Americans have a wide spectrum of metabolic variability in their tolerance to high carbohydrate loads. Obesity, metabolic syndrome, and T2D are conditions strongly associated with insulin resistance, a condition exacerbated by increased dietary carbohydrate and improved by restricting carbohydrate. Low-carbohydrate diets are grounded across the time-span of human evolution, have well-established biochemical principles, and are now supported by multiple clinical trials in humans that demonstrate consistent improvements in multiple established risk factors associated with insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recently recognized a low carbohydrate eating pattern as an effective approach for patients with diabetes. Despite this evidence base, low-carbohydrate diets are not reflected in the DGA. As the DGA Dietary Patterns have not been demonstrated to be universally effective in addressing the needs of many Americans and recognizing the lack of widely available treatments for obesity, metabolic syndrome, and T2D that are safe, effective, and sustainable, the argument for an alternative, low-carbohydrate Dietary Pattern is all the more compelling.

Facilitator Contact, Discussion Boards, and Virtual Badges as Adherence Enhancements to a Web-Based, Self-guided, Positive Psychological Intervention for Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Adherence to self-guided interventions tends to be very low, especially in people with depression. Prior studies have demonstrated that enhancements may increase adherence, but little is known about the efficacy of various enhancements in comparison to, or in combination with, one another. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study is to test whether 3 enhancements-facilitator contact (FC), an online discussion board, and virtual badges (VB)-alone, or in combination, improve adherence to a self-guided, web-based intervention for depression. We also examined whether age, gender, race, ethnicity, comfort with technology, or baseline depression predicted adherence or moderated the effects that each enhancement had on adherence. METHODS: Participants were recruited through web-based sources and, after completing at least 4 out of 7 daily emotion reports, were sequentially assigned to 1 of 9 conditions-the intervention alone; the intervention plus 1, 2, or all 3 enhancements; or an emotion reporting control condition. The intervention was a positive psychological program consisting of 8 skills that specifically targeted positive emotions, and it was delivered over 5 weeks in a self-guided, web-based format. We operationalized adherence as the number of skills accessed. RESULTS: A total of 602 participants were enrolled in this study. Participants accessed, on average, 5.61 (SD 2.76) of 8 skills. The total number of enhancements participants received (0-3) did not predict the number of skills accessed. Participants who were assigned to the VB+FC condition accessed significantly more skills than those in the intervention only conditions. Furthermore, participants in arms that received the combination of both the VB and FC enhancements (VB+FC and VB+FC+online discussion board) accessed a greater number of skills relative to the number of skills accessed by participants who received either VB or FC without the other. Moderation analyses revealed that the receipt of VB (vs no VB) predicted higher adherence among participants with moderately severe depression at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that the VB+FC combination significantly increased the number of skills accessed in a self-guided, web-based intervention for elevated depression. We have provided suggestions for refinements to these enhancements, which may further improve adherence. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02861755; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02861755.

A Pragmatic Approach to Translating Low- and Very Low-Carbohydrate Diets Into Clinical Practice for Patients With Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes.

Across all eating patterns, individuals demonstrate marked differences in treatment response; some individuals gain weight and others lose weight with the same approach. Policy makers and research institutions now call for the development and use of personalized nutrition counseling strategies rather than one-size-fits-all dietary recommendations. However, challenges persist in translating some evidence-based eating patterns into the clinical practice due to the persistent notion that certain dietary approaches-regardless of individuals' preferences and health outcomes-are less healthy than others. For example, low- and very low-carbohydrate ketogenic diets (VLCKDs)-commonly defined as 10-26% and <10% total daily energy from carbohydrate, respectively-are recognized as viable lifestyle change options to support weight loss, glycemic control, and reduced medication use. Yet, critics contend that such eating patterns are less healthy and encourage general avoidance rather than patient-centered use. As with all medical treatments, the potential benefits and risks must be considered in the context of patient-centered, outcome-driven care; this is the cornerstone of evidence-based medicine. Thus, the critical challenge is to identify and safely support patients who may prefer and benefit from dietary carbohydrate restriction. In this Perspective, we propose a pragmatic, 4-stepped, outcome-driven approach to help health professionals use carbohydrate-restricted diets as one potential tool for supporting individual patients' weight loss and metabolic health.

Association between fasting insulin and C-reactive protein among adults without diabetes using a two-part model: NHANES 2005-2010.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic inflammation is associated with the development, progression and long-term complications of type 2 diabetes. Hyperglycemia is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation, and thus has become the focus of many screening and treatment recommendations. We hypothesize that insulin may also be associated with inflammation and may be an additional factor to consider in screening and treatment. METHODS: This study used National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 2005 to 2010 to analyze the association between fasting insulin and C-reactive protein (CRP). A two-part model was used due to the high number of values reported as 0.1 mg/L. Two models were analyzed, both with and without the addition of waist circumference to other covariates in the model. RESULTS: The final sample included 4527 adults with a mean age of 43.31 years. In the first model, higher fasting insulin was associated with increased odds of CRP > 0.1 mg/L (OR = 1.02, p < .001) and with higher CRP (ß = 0.03, p < .001). In the adjusted model, including waist circumference as a covariate, higher fasting insulin was not associated with CRP > 0.1 mg/L (OR = 1.00, p = .307) but the association between higher fasting insulin and higher continuous CRP remained significant (ß = 0.01, p = .012). CONCLUSION: This study found that higher fasting insulin is associated with higher CRP. These results suggest that treatment approaches that simultaneously decrease insulin levels as well as glucose levels may provide additive anti-inflammatory effects, and therefore may improve long-term outcomes for adults with type 2 diabetes.

Lifestyle Interventions for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Cross-Sectional Survey to Assess Women's Treatment and Outcome Preferences.

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. Diet and lifestyle programs improve health, but women's preferences for these programs have not been formally explored. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to examine diet and lifestyle program preferences among women with PCOS. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of women with PCOS. RESULTS: At least half of the 197 respondents expressed strong interest in programs addressing energy level, anxiety, depression, weight, diabetes prevention, menstrual period regulation, and hirsutism. Similarly, at least half reported willingness to modify their sleep, stress, and physical activity; and slightly less than half reported willingness to adopt a very low-carbohydrate, paleo, or low-glycemic index diet. At least half reported interest in online or mobile programs and email-based mentoring. Younger age was associated with interest in help with acne and fertility; higher body mass index was associated with wanting help with weight loss, energy, and anxiety; and greater stress eating was associated with wanting help with depression, anxiety, and menstrual period regulation. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine attitudes and preferences of women with PCOS toward such programs. Future online and mobile diet and lifestyle programs may be able to capitalize on this information to better target this population's expressed preferences.

Intervention Enhancement Strategies Among Adults With Type 2 Diabetes in a Very Low-Carbohydrate Web-Based Program: Evaluating the Impact With a Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: Adults with type 2 diabetes may experience health benefits, including glycemic control and weight loss, from following a very low-carbohydrate, ketogenic (VLC) diet. However, it is unclear which ancillary strategies may enhance these effects. OBJECTIVE: This pilot study aims to estimate the effect sizes of 3 intervention enhancement strategies (text messages, gifts, and breath vs urine ketone self-monitoring) that may improve outcomes of a 12-month web-based ad libitum VLC diet and lifestyle intervention for adults with type 2 diabetes. The primary intervention also included other components to improve adherence and well-being, including positive affect and mindfulness as well as coaching. METHODS: Overweight or obese adults (n=44; BMI 25-45 kg/m2) with type 2 diabetes (glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c] ≥6.5%), who had been prescribed either no glucose-lowering medications or metformin alone, participated in a 12-month web-based intervention. Using a 2×2×2 randomized factorial design, we compared 3 enhancement strategies: (1) near-daily text messages about the intervention's recommended behaviors (texts n=22 vs no texts n=22), (2) mailed gifts of diet-relevant foods and cookbooks (6 rounds of mailed gifts n=21 vs no gifts n=23), and (3) urine- or breath-based ketone self-monitoring (urine n=21 vs breath n=23). We assessed HbA1c and weight at baseline and at 4, 8, and 12 months. We evaluated whether each strategy exerted a differential impact on HbA1c and weight at 12 months against an a priori threshold of Cohen d of 0.5 or greater. RESULTS: We retained 73% (32/44) of the participants at 12 months. The intervention, across all conditions, led to improvements in glucose control and reductions in body weight at the 12-month follow-up. In intent-to-treat (ITT) analyses, the mean HbA1c reduction was 1.0% (SD 1.6) and the mean weight reduction was 5.3% (SD 6.0), whereas among study completers, these reductions were 1.2% (SD 1.7) and 6.3% (SD 6.4), respectively, all with a P value of less than .001. In ITT analyses, no enhancement strategy met the effect size threshold. Considering only study completers, 2 strategies showed a differential effect size of at least a d value of 0.5 or greater. CONCLUSIONS: Text messages, gifts of food and cookbooks, and urine-based ketone self-monitoring may potentially enhance the glycemic or weight loss benefits of a web-based VLC diet and lifestyle intervention for individuals with type 2 diabetes. Future research could investigate other enhancement strategies to help create even more effective solutions for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02676648; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02676648.

Treating binge eating and food addiction symptoms with low-carbohydrate Ketogenic diets: a case series.

BACKGROUND: Many patients with obesity and comorbid binge eating symptoms present with the desire to lose weight. Although some studies suggest that dietary restriction can exacerbate binge eating, others show dietary restriction is associated with significant reductions in binge eating. The effect of a particular type of dieting on binge eating, the ketogenic diet (a high fat, moderate protein, very low carbohydrate diet), is not known. CASE PRESENTATIONS: We report on the feasibility of a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet initiated by three patients (age 54, 34, and 63) with obesity (average BMI 43.5 kg/m2) with comorbid binge eating and food addiction symptoms. All patients tolerated following the ketogenic diet (macronutrient proportion 10% carbohydrate, 30% protein, and 60% fat; at least 5040 kJ) for the prescribed period (e.g., 6-7 months) and none reported any major adverse effects. Patients reported significant reductions in binge eating episodes and food addiction symptoms including cravings and lack of control as measured by the Binge-Eating Scale, Yale Food Addiction Scale, or Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale modified for Binge Eating, depending on the case. Additionally, the patients lost a range of 10-24% of their body weight. Participants reported maintenance of treatment gains (with respect to weight, binge eating, and food addiction symptoms) to date of up to 9-17 months after initiation and continued adherence to diet. CONCLUSIONS: Although the absence of control cases precludes conclusions regarding the specific role of ketogenic diets versus other forms of dietary restriction, this is the first report to demonstrate the feasibility of prescribing a ketogenic diet for patients with obesity who report binge eating and food addiction symptoms. Further research should seek to reproduce the observed effects in controlled trials as well as to explore potential etiologies.

Mixed methods pilot study of a low-carbohydrate diabetes prevention programme among adults with pre-diabetes in the USA.

OBJECTIVES: (1) To estimate weight change from a low-carbohydrate diabetes prevention programme (LC-DPP) and (2) to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an LC-DPP. RESEARCH DESIGN: Single-arm, mixed methods (ie, integration of quantitative and qualitative data) pilot study. SETTING: Primary care clinic within a large academic medical centre in the USA. PARTICIPANTS: Adults with pre-diabetes and Body Mass Index of ≥25 kg/m2. INTERVENTION: We adapted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP)-an evidence-based, low-fat dietary intervention-to teach participants to follow a very low-carbohydrate diet (VLCD). Participants attended 23 group-based classes over 1 year. OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome measures were (1) weight change and (2) percentage of participants who achieved ≥5% wt loss. Secondary outcome measures included intervention feasibility and acceptability (eg, attendance and qualitative interview feedback). RESULTS: Our enrolment target was 22. One person dropped out before a baseline weight was obtained; data from 21 individuals were analysed. Mean weight loss in kilogram was 4.3 (SD 4.8) at 6 months and 4.9 (SD 5.8) at 12 months. Mean per cent body weight changes were 4.5 (SD 5.0) at 6 months and 5.2 (SD 6.0) at 12 months; 8/21 individuals (38%) achieved ≥5% wt loss at 12 months. Mean attendance was 10.3/16 weekly sessions and 3.4/7 biweekly or monthly sessions. Among interviewees (n=14), three factors facilitated VLCD adherence: (1) enjoyment of low-carbohydrate foods, (2) diminished hunger and cravings and (3) health benefits beyond weight loss. Three factors hindered VLCD adherence: (1) enjoyment of high-carbohydrate foods, (2) lack of social support and (3) difficulty preplanning meals. CONCLUSIONS: An LC-DPP is feasible, acceptable and may be an effective option to help individuals with pre-diabetes to lose weight. Data from this pilot will be used to plan a fully powered randomised controlled trial of weight loss among NDPP versus LC-DPP participants. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03258918.

Correction: Examining the Effects of Mindful Eating Training on Adherence to a Carbohydrate-Restricted Diet in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes (the DELISH Study): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.2196/11002.].

Measuring moral politics: How strict and nurturant family values explain individual differences in conservatism, liberalism, and the political middle.

Individuals' political stances tend to place them into the conservative "right," the liberal "left," or the moderate "middle." What might explain this pattern of division? Moral Politics Theory (Lakoff, 1996) holds that political attitudes arise from moral worldviews that are conceptually anchored in contrasting family models-the strict-father and nurturant-parent models-while the political middle is morally "biconceptual," endorsing both models simultaneously. The present research examined these postulations empirically. Studies 1 and 2 tested the conceptual and predictive validity of the theorized models by developing an instrument assessing strict and nurturant parenting beliefs (the Moral Politics Scale [MPT]), and examining its power to predict political stances on issues seemingly unrelated to parenting attitudes (e.g., abortion, taxes, and same-sex marriage). Studies 3a and 3b explored construct validity while testing whether the family models translate into more general moral worldviews, which then serve as a foundation of political attitudes. Studies 4a through 4c tested generalizability, examining the relationship between the family models and political stances across different countries, data-collection modalities, and a representative American sample. Finally, Studies 5-7 explored biconceptualism and the tendency for these individuals to shift political attitudes as a consequence of situational factors, particularly moral framing, such that strict-father frames lead to increased support for conservative stances while nurturant-parent frames lead to increased support for liberal stances. Overall, we found support for each of MPT's assertions, suggesting that an important aspect of the conceptual and experiential basis of people's political attitudes lies in the strict-father and nurturant-parent family models. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).