A key ingredient used in the ketogenic diet, which reduces carbohydrate and protein intake and increases fat intake. Courtesy of Getty Images Bank
A study has found that a ‘low tangoji (kitogenic)’ diet that reduces carbohydrate and protein intake and increases fat intake is more effective in reducing obesity in men. It is analyzed that the larger the weight and the thicker the waist circumference, the greater the weight loss effect.
A research team led by Professor Ilaria Ernesti of Sapienza Medical School in Italy published a study on the weight loss effect of an ultra-low-calorie (kcal) ketogenic diet in the international journal Frontiers in Nutrition on the 25th (local time).
The ketogenic diet is a method of restricting calories while implementing a so-called ‘low-carbohydrate (low-carbohydrate, high-fat)’ diet. The research team had 34 highly obese adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more consume food according to the ketogenic diet for 45 days. Calories were limited to 800 kcal per day, and 1.2 to 15 g of protein and 15 to 30 g of fat were consumed per 1 kg of body weight.
Participants did not increase their exercise volume separately. However, they were advised to reduce their sedentary habits and drank at least 2 liters of water daily. Protein was mainly from eggs and beans, and fat was consumed through extra virgin olive oil. I also took a multivitamin supplement every day.
The ketogenic diet has been shown to be effective in weight loss. Participants who completed the one-and-a-half month diet period lost an average of 8.3 kg in weight. Waist circumference also decreased by an average of 6.4 cm. Body composition ratio analysis also showed a significant decrease in fat mass.
The research team analyzed that a long-term ketogenic diet would have a greater weight loss effect in men than women. This is because of the physiological differences between men and women.
As a result of analyzing the participants, the effect of the ketogenic diet was found to be excellent as the weight increased, the thicker the waist circumference, and the lower the degree of circulation of the hormone ‘FGF1’ related to metabolic diseases.
Obese male patients meet these criteria more than obese female patients. The average weight is higher, and there are many types of abdominal obesity, so the waist circumference is thicker. The circulating rate of FGF1 is also slower than that of women, and is more influenced by diet. In addition, it is explained that a diet method that restricts calories can be more advantageous for men with a high basal metabolic rate.
Research has shown that a ketogenic diet affects the brain’s ability to control appetite. According to a study published on the 25th (local time) by Professor Kirsten Browning of the University of Pennsylvania Medical School in the international journal ‘Journal of the American Physiological Society’, a high-fat diet can reduce brain function related to appetite.
As a result of the rat experiment, it was found that a high-fat diet excites nerve cells in the brain and reduces the efficiency of the signaling system that senses taste. The experimental rats were observed to become insensitive to calorie intake and overeat as they continued on the high-fat diet. Professor Browning said, “High-fat diets can temporarily encourage overeating,” and added, “Further research is needed on the effects of high-fat diets on humans.”
