The Low Carb Program ‘just as effective’ at supporting weight loss and glycaemic control as face-to-face obesity management, academics claim

New research has demonstrated that the Low Carb Program is just as successful as traditional obesity management services for losing weight and improving glycaemic control.

According to the report, significant weight loss results and enhanced HbA1c levels were present in those who implemented the Low Carb Program.

The Low Carb Program is a nutritionally focused, 12-session, digitally delivered, educational behaviour change intervention, typically for glycaemic control and weight loss for adults with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

As part of the study, 105 overweight individuals were invited to use the Low Carb Program app and complete remote obesity management consultations with healthcare professionals and psychologists.

The mean weight of the participants was 130.2 kg, with 59% of those being female and primarily aged in their forties.

Most of the recruited participants actively used the app, with more than half of them self-reporting positive health outcomes after following the Low Carb Program for seven months, the study identified.

Paired data was available for 48 participants for body weight and 41 participants for HbA1c, which revealed a statistically significant mean loss of body weight of 2.7 kg and an improvement in HbA1c by 3.3 mmol/mol.

The team of researchers found similar findings when analysing the results of 126 individuals who attended a conventional in person obesity service before the beginning of the pandemic.

The academics said: “Obesity and weight management is a pressing issue that demands even more attention today due to its relationship with COVID morbidity and mortality.

“As we move into autumn, we’re pleased to evidence how highly accessible, always available weight management services can empower people to sustainably lose weight, enable clinical efficiencies and reduce the cost of care.”

The report states: “This study demonstrated the feasibility of using the Low Carb Program app as part of a remotely delivered obesity multidisciplinary team during the COVID-19 pandemic era, as well as efficacy regarding both loss of body weight and improvement in glycemic control over a seven-month period.

“Ultimately, the Low Carb Program app represents a management option that is potentially both accessible and scalable at the population level.”

The authors of the study, Low Carb Program Health App Within a Hospital-Based Obesity Setting: Observational Service Evaluation, were Charlotte Summers and Arjun Panesar from DDM Health, Dr Petra Hanson, Dominic Oduro-Donkor, Maria Lange, Vinod Menon and Thomas M Barber.

To read the full report, click here.