PEN® eNews 14(11) November 2024 - New and Updated Content!

Ketogenic Diet and Type 1 Diabetes - What is the Latest?

There is very limited evidence, primarily from case series, that a very low carbohydrate ketogenic diet (VLCD, <50 g CHO/day) improves glycemic control for individuals with type 1 diabetes with low rates of adverse events (hypoglycemia or ketoacidosis). Studies on the use of VLCDs in type 1 diabetes are short term, involving small numbers of individuals with unknown adherence to the prescribed diet and unreported data on other aspects of diabetes management that may influence glycemic control.

Although case series suggest that individuals with type 1 diabetes who follow a VLCD were not at increased safety risk, evidence is sparse. Additional research is needed regarding the long-term safety and efficacy of a VLCD prior to making a recommendation for individuals with type 1 diabetes.

Individuals with type 1 diabetes who wish to follow a VLCD should do so with the support of a specialized health care team that includes a dietitian.

Grade of Evidence C

To see the full practice question, including the Evidence Statements, Remarks and References, click here.

Ketogenic Diet and Type 2 Diabetes - Are the Recommendations Different than for Type 1

No recommendation is provided for a very low carbohydrate ketogenic diet to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes.

Conditional recommendation | Low quality evidence

To see the full practice question, including the Evidence Statements, Remarks and References, click here.

The Low Carbohydrate Diet Knowledge Pathway is Updated!

The Summary of Recommendations and Evidence (SRE) is a tool that synthesizes the Key Practice Point(s) for each Practice Question (PQ) in a Knowledge Pathway.

Updated Background - Chronic Kidney Disease

What are Backgrounds, Anyway?

International Guidelines Collection

PEN is the global resource for nutrition information. We work with our country partners to identify relevant regional nutrition guidelines to make sure you're well-informed - no matter where you're working in the world! You can find the collection here.