ESPE Abstracts

Background: The effects of carbohydrate-restricted (ketogenic) diets on metabolic parameters in children have been incompletely assessed.

Objective and hypotheses: Effective treatment options for childhood obesity are limited and the risk of significant co-morbidities increase sharply with age, especially in paediatric population where growth is normally still occurring. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, the efficacy and the safety of a high-protein, low-carbohydrate, low-fat ketogenic diet (K diet) in the treatment of morbidly obese children.

Method: Eight children, aged 10–15 years, were recruited to follow a K diet. Anthropometric data (waist, neck, abdomen, hips, thighs, arm circumference, weight, height, BMI) were collected at enrolment, after 10 days of diet, during reintroduction of food and throughout the course of the whole study during the various visits. The study is still ongoing. Diet composition was monitored and recorded at each visit and ketosis was kept under control. Blood tests and liver ecography were performed at the beginning of the study. The multiphase dietetic protocol was combined with a nutritional supplement for alkalinisation.

Results: The observed clinically meaningful reduction of body weight, in the subjects included in the study, was primarily associated with a reduction of the waist circumference. The K diet appears to be an effective method in overweight children and may be a feasible and safe alternative for children’s weight loss.