ABSTRACT
Introduction Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating pattern that alternates between periods of fasting and eating. IF has shown many benefits for people who are obese and are trying to lose weight and attain a healthy lifestyle. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of IF and how it can be used as a daily lifestyle as well as to measure the knowledge of the IF diet among the Saudi population about its benefits, side effects, and life quality. Method For this retrospective cross-sectional study, data about the common side effects, benefits, and the measurement of the quality of life were collected by a survey distributed using Google Forms. Microsoft Excel was used for the data analysis, with the data and results being mainly expressed as numbers and percentages. Results Among the 147 individuals practicing the IF plan who were surveyed, male participants were more than females (53.7% vs 46.3%). The highest percentage of respondents were in the age group 18-35 years old, and 88 individuals (59.9%) had a high body mass index (BMI). Duration of fasting varied from less than a month to three months in 70.8%, and 71.4% of participants had undertaken IF several times. Side effects were headache (61.3%), lethargy (68%), mood swings (57.8%), and lastly dizziness and polyuria (55.8% and 46.2%, respectively). Slightly more females expressed happiness than males (86.8% vs 83.6%). Conclusion The IF diet is an efficient dietary plan for those aiming at a weight loss journey over a short duration, ranging from less than a month up to three months. Minimal side effects were found during fasting, being of different intensities, which did not need surgical or medical treatment. All in all, most of our respondents were pleased with their experience and saw excellent weight loss results using the IF diet.
ABSTRACT
The onset of type 2 diabetes increases the risk of vascular complications and death. We know now that that this risk begins long before the diabetes diagnosis. Prediabetes and type 2 diabetes are not separate entities in practice and exist within a continuum of dysglycaemia and vascular risk that increases in severity over time. This excess risk requires early intervention with lifestyle therapy supported with pharmacologic antidiabetic therapy, intensified promptly where necessary throughout the duration of the diabetes continuum. Metformin is an evidence-based treatment for preventing prediabetes and improves cardiovascular outcomes in people with type 2 diabetes from diagnosis onwards. Newer agents (SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 agonists) are appropriate for people presenting with type 2 diabetes and significant cardiovascular comorbidity. Additional therapies should be used without delay to achieve patients' individualised HbA1c goals and to minimise cardiovascular risk.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The ketogenic diet has been in use since the 1920s as a therapy for epilepsy. Since the 1960s, it has also become widely known as one of the methods for obesity treatment. Recently, this diet has been promoted as a lifestyle, making it highly controversial in terms of its practicality as a lifestyle diet and its duration without affecting one's health or quality of life. Hence, this study assessed ketogenic diets from the people's perspective of side effects, attitude, and quality of life. METHOD: This retrospective observational study evaluated people who experienced or still practice a ketogenic diet. Health-related quality of life, the standard four-item set of healthy days core questions, was employed. We distributed the survey as an electronic self-assessment using Google Forms. The data were reviewed and automatically copied into a personal computer, arranged in a data-sheet in Microsoft Excel, and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 27 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.). The data were mainly expressed as numbers and percentages. RESULTS: A total of 226 subjects who adopted a ketogenic diet were interviewed to explore their diet experience. Females were slightly more than males (52.7% vs. 47.3%), and more than one-half (55.3%) of this study population aged 18-35 years. Obesity accounted for 55.3%, and the majority of the respondents (69.9%) adopted a ketogenic diet for more than one month. Among the most frequently reported symptoms were nausea (mild, 29.2%; moderate, 16.4%; severe nausea, 5.8%), dizziness (mild, 39.8%; moderate, 27.4%; severe, 11.5%), polyuria (72.1% in total), and lethargy (69.7%). Furthermore, 90.3% of them felt happy about adopting a ketogenic diet, and 81.9% would recommend it for anyone who wants to lose weight. CONCLUSION: A ketogenic diet was practiced mostly for one to six months, making it a short-term solution to weight loss. The outcomes of the participants approved the efficacy of the ketogenic diet in weight reduction. Different symptoms and side effects occurred with varying intensities, especially in the first few days of adopting this diet. Overall, the ketogenic diet did not affect the quality of life and yielded a very positive overall experience.