BODY COMPOSITION AND METABOLIC CHANGES IN VLCKD: AN UPDATE

Abstract

VLCKD is becoming an elective choice to promote weight loss, especially in the case of severe obesity and its metabolic complications. Some authors have assumed that VLCKD can better pre­serve lean body mass during weight loss, saving from diet-induced sarcopenia. BIA evaluation is a simple method to estimate body compostion. At the Maggiore Hospital in Bologna in 2017-2018 we conducted a dietary intervention with a VLCKD ranging from 700 to 800 kcal-die for 1 month in 52 female patients (mean age 48 years), to estimate the effectiveness on body composition. Biochemical indices exploring metabolic and nutritional condition and BIA evaluation was performed before and after VLCKD Before and after VLCKD the average of weight (108,6 vs 104,6), BMI (41,3 vs 39,6) and FM (50,5 vs 47,7 kg) was significantly different, meanwhile no signficant differences was found in Phase angle (6,5 vs 6,35), Body cell mass (BCM: 31,4 vs 30,5 kg) and Muscle Mass (MM: 38,6 vs 37,6). Significantly different were instead the value of basal insulin (12.9 vs 9.1) and the HOMA index (3,2 vs 2), but no differences was found for basal glycemia (94 vs 89), creatinine (0,7 vs 0,7) and serum electrolytes. Our study showed that a VLCKD was highly effective in terms of body weight reduction without to induce body cell mass loss, preventing the risk of sarcopenia. It was also able to reduce the basal insulin level without modify glycemia level and not to change kydney function and electrolytes level