Cognitive restraint directed at carbohydrates in individuals on low-carb diet with binge eating: the role of guilt about food cravings

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether the carbohydrate-restricted diet leads to higher levels of food cravings in individuals with binge eating.

METHODS

A total of 146 individuals with binge eating participated in the Low-Carb Diet Group (n=48) and Control Group (n=98). The Binge Eating Scale, Hay's questionnaire, Food Cravings Questionnaire - Trait and State, Cognitive restraint subscale and its adapted version for the cognitive restraint toward carbohydrates, were used as measures. Parametric tests were used for comparison between groups (Student's t test), and Pearson's correlation test to verify correlations between variables of interest.

RESULTS

No differences were found between groups with and without diet concerning the level of binge eating or food craving total score. The differences found were the higher levels of cognitive restraint (p=0.01), cognitive restraint for carbohydrates (p=0.01) and subscales of 'guilt about food craving' (p=0.04) in the Low-Carb Diet Group.

CONCLUSION

Individuals with binge eating and a history of low-carb diet have greater cognitive restraint toward carbohydrates and association with altered eating attitudes (guilt about food craving).

Low-Carbohydrate Diet Score and Coronary Artery Calcium Progression: Results From the CARDIA Study

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

To investigate whether low-carbohydrate diets (LCDs) were associated with coronary artery calcium (CAC) progression.

Long-term effects of 4 popular diets on weight loss and cardiovascular risk factors: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

We conducted a systematic review to examine the efficacy of the Atkins, South Beach, Weight Watchers (WW), and Zone diets, with a particular focus on sustained weight loss at ≥12 months.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We systematically searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library of Clinical Trials to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in English with follow-up ≥4 weeks that examined the effects of these 4 popular diets on weight loss and cardiovascular risk factors. We identified 12 RCTs (n=2559) with follow-up ≥12 months: 10 versus usual care (5 Atkins, 4 WW, and 1 South Beach) and 2 head-to-head (1 of Atkins, WW, and Zone, and 1 of Atkins, Zone, and control). At 12 months, the 10 RCTs comparing popular diets to usual care revealed that only WW was consistently more efficacious at reducing weight (range of mean changes: -3.5 to -6.0 kg versus -0.8 to -5.4 kg; P<0.05 for 3/4 RCTs). However, the 2 head-to-head RCTs suggest that Atkins (range: -2.1 to -4.7 kg), WW (-3.0 kg), Zone (-1.6 to -3.2 kg), and control (-2.2 kg) all achieved modest long-term weight loss. Twenty-four-month data suggest that weight lost with Atkins or WW is partially regained over time.

CONCLUSIONS

Head-to-head RCTs, providing the most robust evidence available, demonstrated that Atkins, WW, and Zone achieved modest and similar long-term weight loss. Despite millions of dollars spent on popular commercial diets, data are conflicting and insufficient to identify one popular diet as being more beneficial than the others.

Effect of hypocaloric diet-induced weight loss in obese women on plasma apelin and adipose tissue expression of apelin and APJ

OBJECTIVE

Apelin is a novel adipokine acting on APJ receptor, regulated by insulin and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in adipose tissue (AT). Plasma apelin levels are increased in obese hyperinsulinemic subjects. The aim was to investigate whether the hypocaloric diet associated with weight loss modifies the elevated plasma apelin levels and the expression of apelin and APJ receptor in AT in obese women.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Fasting plasma levels of apelin and TNF-alpha as well as mRNA levels of apelin and APJ in AT were measured before and after a 12-week hypocaloric weight-reducing diet in 20 obese women (body mass index (BMI) before diet 32.2+/-6.4 kg/m(2)). Twelve healthy women with a BMI of 20.7+/-0.6 kg/m(2) served as reference.

RESULTS

Plasma levels of apelin and TNF-alpha were higher in obese compared with lean controls. The hypocaloric diet resulted in a significant decrease of BMI to 29.8+/-6.3 kg/m(2), plasma insulin (8.16+/-0.73 to 6.58+/-0.66 mU/l), apelin (369+/-25 pg/ml to 257+/-12 pg/ml), TNF-alpha levels (0.66+/-0.04 pg/ml to 0.56+/-0.04 pg/ml), and AT mRNAs of apelin and APJ. In addition, changes in AT mRNA apelin were related to changes in AT mRNA APJ levels.

CONCLUSION

The hypocaloric diet associated with weight loss reduces the increased plasma and AT expression of apelin in obese women. This reduced apelin expression in AT could contribute to decreased circulating apelin levels.