Review Article: Metabolic effects of nutritional therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and/or obesity or overweight

Abstract

Obesity is a chronic metabolic disease with multiple associated factors that has generated a high health impact worldwide; at the same time, rates of type 2 diabetes mellitus also increase with increasing body mass index. Medical nutrition therapy and a focus on lifestyle changes remain key components in the management of overweight and type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, there is little evidence on the different types of nutritional interventions used as a therapeutic strategy in these patients; therefore, the aim of the present review article is to evidence the metabolic effects of nutritional therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and/or obesity or overweight. A literature search was conducted for Randomized Controlled Trials published between 2015 and 2021, in English and Spanish languages, conducted with patients aged 18 years or older, with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus and/or overweight or obesity, who were intervened with medical nutritional therapy in order to know the metabolic effects of the diet. The search terms (keywords) included: "obesity", "overweight", "type 2 diabetes mellitus", in combination with "very low calorie ketogenic diet", "Mediterranean diet" and "low carbohydrate diet", using the Boolean operator "and". We found 11 published Randomized Controlled Trials that met the eligibility criteria