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Instructions on Low Carbohydrate Diet Versus Low Glycemic Index Diet
Questions and Answers:
Course: NUTR&101
1.What is the definition of glycemic index?
Glycemic index: An indicator of the ability of different types of foods that contain carbohydrate to raise the blood glucose levels within 2 hours. Foods containing carbohydrates that break down most quickly during digestion have the highest glycemic index. Also called the dietary index.
2. For the people in the group using a low carbohydrate diet, what was the number of carbohydrates consumed per day?
The number of carbohydrates consumed per day is fewer than 20 g/day.
3. What other factor besides the low-glycemic index foods did the other group restrict themselves to?
The other factor besides the low-glycemic index foods is low-carbohydrate.
4. Who funded (paid for) this study?
This study was funded by Atkins Foundation.
5. How many people started in the clinical trial? What percent of them dropped out by six months?
Investigators randomized 84 volunteers – mostly women are started in the clinical trial. At six months more than 42% patients had dropped out of the study.
6. What was the researcher (Dr. Eric Westman) trying to demonstrate by this trial?
He’s states that “with diet and weight change, diabetes is reversible”. He argues that a low carb diet like Atkins slower, but its far better than going into surgery.
7. Which group had the greater reduction in hemoglobin A1c.
The low-carb group had the greater reduction in hemoglobin A1c.
8. Which group reduced their need for insulin more?
The low-carb reduced their insulin by 95% which is 33% more than the low glycemic group.
9. Which group lost more weight?
The low-carb group lost more weight than the low glycemic group.
10. Which group had a decrease in their levels of LDLs?
The low glycemic group had a decrease in their LDLs.
11. What does Westman say is the key point coming out of this trial?
That diabetes is reversible with diet and weight loss.
12. What did Dr. Eckel of the America Heart Association say was missing from this study?
He pointed out that there was information missing concerning the details about the types of consumed and the reasons behind the high dropout rate.
13. For the next question, there is no right or wrong answer:
Do you think that the study was funded by a low-carbohydrate diet program business might have influenced the way the study was done or the outcome? Why or why not?
No, I don’t think so. The American Heart Association is holding information and I think that these well-respected doctors wouldn’t risk their careers just to prove that the AHA was missing information. They were going to go the extra mile and by doing so they could have cut corners in spite of the AHA, but they used real people who dropped out because it was too tough for them. AHA’s lab rats can’t drop out of the programs because they’re rats.
