People with diabetes should not be tempted to use low-carb diets to manage their weight, a researcher has warned.
The low-carb, high fat diets have become popular because of their apparent success in preventing over-eating.
They also may limit the risk of destabilising blood sugar levels caused by eating carbohydrates.
But Dr Alison Harte, of Warwick University Medical School, UK, says eating large amounts of fat poses particular risks to people with diabetes.
Her findings show that fat poses a risk of causing inflammatory processes in the body, aggravating the side effects of the disease and risk of heart disease, she said.
She has reported her work to the UK Society for Endocrinology, which met in Harrogate, Yorkshire, last week.
Dr Harte says fatty meals lead to bacteria from the gut leaking into the blood – and that this is worse for people with diabetes.
She said: "This creates conditions within the body that trigger inflammatory reactions which ultimately can cause a number of conditions such as heart disease and will help to explain further why diabetics are more prone to developing heart problems, weight gain and cardio-vascular conditions.
"As many as 80 per cent of people with Type 2 Diabetes die from heart disease, so our research will help to shed light on why this happens and for our researchers to develop new preventative measures to protect patients.
“As for dietary advice, we would say that a balanced diet with exercise is the way forward as opposed to seeking quick weight loss results from high fat, low carb diets, which may have longer-term health implications.”
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