Abstract MP26: Adherence to Low Carbohydrate and Low Fat Diets in Relation to Weight Loss and Cardiovascular Risk Factor Reduction

A low carbohydrate (carb) diet can reduce body weight and some cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors as compared to a low fat diet, but differential adherence may play a role. We compared indicators of dietary adherence between two dietary interventions and examined their relationship with dietary efficacy using data from 148 obese adults (Mean age, 47 y; Mean body mass index, 35.4 kg/m2; 11.5% men; 51% Black) who participated in a randomized controlled trial comparing the effect of a low carb diet (net carb<40 g/day) with a low fat diet (<30% energy from fat, <10% from saturated fat) on changes in weight and CVD risk factors. Indicators of dietary adherence included attendance at dietary counseling sessions which provided the same behavioral curriculum for weight loss to each group, deviation from the macronutrient goal of the diet, and the cumulative percentage of urinary ketones detected at each of the 26 behavioral sessions. A composite adherence score was created based on these three indicators. ...