A 6-Month, Office-Based, Low-Carbohydrate Diet Intervention in Obese Teens

In “A 6-Month, Office-Based, Low-Carbohydrate Diet Intervention in Obese Teens,” researchers lead by Dr. Robert M. Siegel sought to demonstrate the effectiveness of a low-carbohydrate diet in obese teenagers in a primary care setting. They succeeded in documenting the experiences of the largest cohort of obese teens put on a low carb diet. The group was made up of teenagers between the ages of 12 and 18 with a BMI in the 95th percentile or higher. They met with a study dietician regularly over the six months the project took place and asked to record their diets. During this time the teens were asked to restrict their carbohydrate intake to 50 g per day, with no restrictions placed on fat or protein intake. 84% of participants lost weight, and the participants reported that this diet was easy to follow compared to others.

Publication Information

Siegel RM, Rich W, Joseph EC, et al. A 6-Month, Office-Based, Low-Carbohydrate Diet Intervention in Obese Teens. Clinical Pediatrics. 2009 Sep;48(7):745-9.