Higher fat diets are better than lower fat diets in the treatment of diabetes

This study was published in Diabetes Care 1994 Mar;17(3):177-82

Study title and authors:

The high-monounsaturated fat diet as a practical alternative for NIDDM.

Campbell LV, Marmot PE, Dyer JA, Borkman M, Storlien LH.

Diabetes Centre, St. Vincent's Hospital, Camperdown, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8174444

The objective of the study was to examine the effects in patients with type two diabetes of a home-prepared high-fat diet compared with a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet. Ten men were included in the trial in which they consumed each diet for two weeks.

The composition of the diets was:
(i) 52% carbohydrate, 24% protein, 24% fat (low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet).
(ii) 40% carbohydrate, 22% protein, 38% fat (high-fat diet).

The study found:
(a) The high-fat diet lowered unhealthy high triglycerides levels.
(b) The high-fat diet lowered unhealthy high blood glucose levels.

This study shows that a high fat diet is better than a low-fat, high carbohydrate diet in the treatment of diabetes.