Clinical experience of a carbohydrate-restricted diet for the metabolic syndrome.

Background: Our objective was to analyze a restricted carbohydrate dietary approach compared to a standard low-fat diet plus medication plan as treatment for weight loss and the metabolic syndrome.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of patients attending an outpatient weight and metabolism management program, including periodic individual visits combined with either a carbohydrate-restricted diet (with multivitamin and essential fatty acids supplementation) or low-fat/low-calorie diet + phentermine/fenfluramine. The main outcome measurements were total body weight and fasting serum lipid profiles.