Content of carbohydrates in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus: an integrative review

Low-carbohydrate and ketogenic diets have become popular interventions for weight loss and for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2), being able to reduce serum HbA1C levels and the use of hypoglycemic medications. However, these dietary strategies still generate controversy among health professionals. Objective: The present study aimed to analyze whether there were more benefits in relation to anthropometric and laboratory parameters, when adopting low -carbohydrate diets, justifying their choice by health professionals facing DM2, when compared to moderate and high-carbohydrate diets. Materials and Methods: A search was performed in LILACS, PubMed and Scielo databases for articles published in the last five years that analyzed/compared anthropometric and laboratory parameters of patients with T2DM using the term Type 2 Diabetes with the combination of the terms associated with carbohydrate content of the diets. Results and Discussion: The very low or low carbohydrate diets showed more satisfactory results in anthropometric and laboratory parameters when compared to moderate and high carbohydrate diets. However, prolonged restriction of carbohydrate intake may lead to undesirable health effects, which do not occur with less drastic dietary interventions. Conclusions: We conclude that, even with similar adherence, it is important to follow the recommendations proposed by specialized agencies in the treatment of diabetes in order to avoid the emergence of adverse effects.