Effect of a Free-Living Ketogenic Diet on Feasibility, Satiety, Body Composition, and Metabolic Health in Women: The Grading Level of Optimal Carbohydrate for Women (GLOW) Study

Abstract

Abstract Objective The study s purpose was to examine a free-living, ketogenic diet (WFKD) on feasibility, satiety, body composition, and metabolic health in women. Methods Twenty-two women (age (yr.) 42.2\u2009±\u20098.1, Ht. (cm) 164.2\u2009±\u20095.9, BMI 27.3\u2009±\u20096.0) participated in a 21-day, free-living dietary intervention. Daily ketone measurements and satiety/craving surveys, weekly diet records, and PRE and POST assessments of anthropometrics, body composition, blood pressure, and fasted capillary-blood glucose (BG) and cholesterol panels were collected. Results Women maintained calories (PRE: 1938\u2009kcal vs POST: 1836\u2009kcal) and protein (PRE: 17% vs POST: 20%) but decreased carbohydrate (PRE: 36% vs POST: 13%) and increased fat (PRE: 45% vs POST: 65%) PRE to POST (p\u2009≤\u20090.05). Daily self-reports suggested no changes in satiety or food cravings between PRE, WK 1, WK 2, and WK 3. Ketones increased (PRE 0.3\u2009±\u20090.2\u2009mmol vs POST 0.8\u2009±\u20090.6\u2009mmol) PRE to POST with significant differences between PRE and all other time points (p\u2009≤\u20090.05). Bodyweight (PRE: 73.9\u2009kg vs POST: 72.3\u2009kg) and body fat (PRE: 28.9\u2009±\u200913.4\u2009kg vs POST 27. 4\u2009±\u200913.5\u2009kg) decreased but there were no differences in fat-free mass PRE to POST (p\u2009≤\u20090.05). Systolic blood pressure decreased (PRE: 119.2\u2009±\u20098.9\u2009mmHg vs POST: 109.5\u2009±\u200910.9\u2009mmHg), diastolic blood pressure increased (PRE: 74.1\u2009±\u20097.5\u2009mmHg vs POST: 78.8\u2009±\u20097.4\u2009mmHg), and BG improved (94.0\u2009±\u20098.3\u2009mg/dL vs POST 89.9\u2009±\u20099.0\u2009mg/dL) PRE to POST (p\u2009≤\u20090.05). No differences were observed in total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglycerides (TG) but TC/HDL decreased and low-density lipoprotein increased PRE to POST (p\u2009≤\u20090.05). Conclusion Women were able to maintain calories, improve body composition, blood pressure, and BG, increase ketones, and improve some but not all cholesterol markers after 21\u2009days on a free-living WFKD.