Traditional weight loss and dukan diets as to nutritional and laboratory results

Authors

• Patricia Naomi Sakae, Silvia Saiuli Miki Ihara Department of Pathology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
• Patricia Naomi Sakae, Francisco Antonio Helfenstein Fonseca, Henrique Trial Bianco, Luciano Monteiro Camargo, Maria Cristina de Oliveira Izar Department of Medicine. Lipids, Atherosclerosis and Vascular Biology Division. Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
• Anita L. R Saldanha, Ana Paula Pantoja Margeotto, Bruno Abdala, Tania Leme da Rocha Martinez Nephrology Department, BP - A Beneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
• Andre L. Valera Gasparoto Intensive Care Unit, BP - A Beneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

Background and Aims: Dukan diet, a popular diet with high content of protein and carbohydrate and fat restriction has been widely used for weight loss. We aimed to compare the effects of the Dukan diet with traditional low-calorie diet in nutritional, laboratory and vascular parameters in obese subjects. Methods and Results: Obese subjects classes I or II of both genders, aging 19 to 65 years were allocated into two groups: Traditional low-calorie diet (n=17) and Dukan Diet (n=17). Anthropometric, laboratory and vascular evaluations were performed at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months. Body composition was evaluated by bioelectric impedance and endothelial function by flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery, at same times. After 12 months, it was verified that Dukan diet was more effective (p<0.05) than traditional diet for: weight loss (-10.6 vs -2.9 kg), body mass index (-3.7 vs -1.1 kg/m²), waist circumference (-11.2 vs -2.1 cm), fat (-5.7 vs -2.0 kg) and lean mass (-4.8 vs 0.8 kg) and basal metabolic rate (-152 vs -28 cal). In Dukan diet group, improvement (p<0.05 vs baseline) was observed in triglyceride levels (172.40 to 111.90 mg/dL) and insulin resistance, based on HOMA-IR index (4.98 to 3.26). The glomerular filtration rate decreased in this group after 3 months (132.50 to 113.80 mL/min) and no changes in flow-mediated dilation were observed throughout the study with both diets. Conclusion: Dukan diet was more effective than traditional diet for weight loss and laboratory parameters and without changes in endothelial function, in the 12-months follow-up of obese subjects.