Research Summary

Analyzed using Evidence Intelligence™

Low-Calorie Diet Improves Metabolic Control in Obese T2 Diabetes Patients

Last updated August 16, 2026

Key finding

Significant loss of body weight was observed (P < 0.05).

This study investigated the effects of a low-calorie diet on metabolic control and gut microbiota in type 2 diabetes patients, finding significant weight loss and changes in gut bacteria diversity.

Quick read

Study at a glance

The essential study design details in one scan.

EvidenceScore™

Moderate

Study type

RCTs

Follow-up

Medium-Term (3–12 mo)

Risk of bias

Some Concerns

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Plain-language summary

What this paper says

A plain-language read of the study’s main message and where it applies.

Study focus

This study investigated the effects of a low-calorie diet on metabolic control and gut microbiota in type 2 diabetes patients, finding significant weight loss and changes in gut bacteria diversity.

Clinical relevance

These findings suggest that dietary interventions, such as a low-calorie diet, may be effective strategies for managing weight and potentially improving metabolic health in patients with type 2 diabetes, highlighting the importance of nutrition in diabetes care.

Keep in mind

Non-significant trends in some metabolic outcomes Lack of experimental validation for microbial biomarkers Results may not be generalizable to all diabetes populations

Published in

Journal Reference

Publication details and source links for this paper.

Mongkontida U, Pornsawan P, Thanya C, Naraporn S. Dietary interventions can modulate the gut bacteria community and offer a complementary strategy for improving metabolic control in type 2 diabetes. Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal. 2025;27:5307-5317. doi:10.1016/j.csbj.2025.11.043

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Main Effects

Significant loss of body weight (-5.2 kg, p < 0.05)

Significant reduction in BMI (-1.8 kg/m², p < 0.05)

Significant loss of body fat mass (-3.5 %, p < 0.05)

Significant alterations in gut microbiota alpha diversity (p = 0.025)

Significant alterations in gut microbiota beta diversity (p = 0.002)

Evidence network

How this study fits

Understand where this research contributes within the broader evidence network.

Evidence Context

This study contributes evidence to Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet and BMI, Body fat mass, Body weight, and 8 more.

This study contributes evidence to

Intervention

Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet

Outcome

BMI

Evidence topic

Dietary Patterns

Primary intervention

Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet

Primary outcomes

BMI
Body fat mass
Body weight

Evidence topics

Dietary Patterns Weight Loss Glycemic Control HbA1c Reduction

Primary intervention

Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet

Primary outcomes

BMI Body fat mass Body weight

Evidence relationships

Intervention and outcome relationships this study adds to the evidence network.

Evidence pairs

Relationships

Evidence topics

contributes_evidence

Editorial context

Why this study matters

See why this paper is useful beyond its individual results.

Evidence network role

This section describes how the study fits into the current evidence network. It does not determine whether an intervention works on its own.

Moderate contributionModerate confidenceNetwork score: 72

Why it is useful

Contributes to 11 evidence relationships
Includes primary outcome data
Linked to 5 direct semantic evidence topics

Topic contributions

Evidence topic

Contributes evidence

Evidence topic

Contributes evidence

Evidence topic

Contributes evidence

Evidence topic

Contributes evidence

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Primary evidence

Evidence relationship

Ketogenic Diets and Body Composition

Related evidence

Evidence relationship

Ketogenic Diets and Body Weight

Save evidence

Evidence relationship

Ketogenic Diets and Fasting Glucose

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Core evidence

Study findings

The primary outcomes reported in this study.

BMI

Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet → BMI

Evidence Intelligence™

EvidenceScore™: Emerging; Score 59 · Based on 1 study
ImpactScore™: 100; Very Positive
ConsistencyScore™: unclear; Not enough independent studies

Based on 1 study

Add to Evidence Tracker

Body fat mass

Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet → Body fat mass

Evidence Intelligence™

EvidenceScore™: Emerging; Score 59 · Based on 1 study
ImpactScore™: 100; Very Positive
ConsistencyScore™: unclear; Not enough independent studies

Based on 1 study

Add to Evidence Tracker

Body weight

Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet → Body weight

Evidence Intelligence™

EvidenceScore™: Strong; Score 79 · Based on 3 studies
ImpactScore™: 100; Very Positive
ConsistencyScore™: 100; consistent

Based on 3 studies

Add to Evidence Tracker

Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG)

Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet → Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG)

Evidence Intelligence™

EvidenceScore™: Moderate; Score 69 · Based on 2 studies
ImpactScore™: 75; Positive
ConsistencyScore™: 35; mixed

Based on 2 studies

Add to Evidence Tracker

Gut microbiota diversity

Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet → Gut microbiota diversity

Evidence Intelligence™

EvidenceScore™: Emerging; Score 59 · Based on 1 study
ImpactScore™: 100; Very Positive
ConsistencyScore™: unclear; Not enough independent studies

Based on 1 study

Add to Evidence Tracker

HbA1c

Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet → HbA1c

Evidence Intelligence™

EvidenceScore™: Moderate; Score 69 · Based on 2 studies
ImpactScore™: 75; Positive
ConsistencyScore™: 35; mixed

Based on 2 studies

Add to Evidence Tracker

Hospitalization rate

Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet → Hospitalization rate

Evidence Intelligence™

EvidenceScore™: Emerging; Score 59 · Based on 1 study
ImpactScore™: 50; Neutral
ConsistencyScore™: unclear; Not enough independent studies

Based on 1 study

Add to Evidence Tracker

Inferred activity in metabolic pathways

Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet → Inferred activity in metabolic pathways

Evidence Intelligence™

EvidenceScore™: Emerging; Score 59 · Based on 1 study
ImpactScore™: 50; Neutral
ConsistencyScore™: unclear; Not enough independent studies

Based on 1 study

Add to Evidence Tracker

LDL cholesterol

Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet → LDL cholesterol

Evidence Intelligence™

EvidenceScore™: Emerging; Score 59 · Based on 1 study
ImpactScore™: 50; Neutral
ConsistencyScore™: unclear; Not enough independent studies

Based on 1 study

Add to Evidence Tracker

Microbial biomarkers

Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet → Microbial biomarkers

Evidence Intelligence™

EvidenceScore™: Emerging; Score 59 · Based on 1 study
ImpactScore™: 50; Neutral
ConsistencyScore™: unclear; Not enough independent studies

Based on 1 study

Add to Evidence Tracker

Urinary tract infection rate

Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet → Urinary tract infection rate

Evidence Intelligence™

EvidenceScore™: Emerging; Score 59 · Based on 1 study
ImpactScore™: 50; Neutral
ConsistencyScore™: unclear; Not enough independent studies

Based on 1 study

Add to Evidence Tracker

Evidence Library

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Evidence Suggest

Body weight decreased by 5.2 kg (p < 0.05)
BMI reduced by 1.8 kg/m² (p < 0.05)
Gut microbiota beta diversity increased significantly (p = 0.002)

Who this applies to

Adults with type 2 diabetes
Individuals seeking dietary interventions for metabolic control

Keep in Mind

The study's findings are based on a specific dietary intervention
Results may not apply to all types of diabetes or different age groups
Further research is needed to validate microbial biomarkers and metabolic outcomes

Between the Lines

Non-significant trends in some metabolic outcomes
Lack of experimental validation for microbial biomarkers
Results may not be generalizable to all diabetes populations

Evidence Library

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Connected Evidence

Explore related studies, evidence collections, and research questions.

Relationships organized using the Dediabetes Evidence Intelligence™ framework.

This study contributes to evidence on Ketogenic Diets and Body Weight, Ketogenic Diets and Fasting Glucose.

Related evidence relationships

Explore in Evidence Explorer

This study contributes to the evidence on the following intervention-outcome relationships.

Diet and Nutrition

Detailed evidence

Ketogenic Diets → Body Weight

Diet and Nutrition

Evidence Intelligence™

EvidenceScore™: Strong; Score 79 · Based on 3 studies
ImpactScore™: 100; Very Positive
ConsistencyScore™: 100; consistent

Based on 3 studies

View evidence

Diet and Nutrition

Detailed evidence

Ketogenic Diets → Fasting Glucose

Diet and Nutrition

Evidence Intelligence™

EvidenceScore™: Moderate; Score 69 · Based on 2 studies
ImpactScore™: 75; Positive
ConsistencyScore™: 35; mixed

Based on 2 studies

View evidence

Diet and Nutrition

Detailed evidence

Ketogenic Diets → Adipokine and Angiogenic Markers

Diet and Nutrition

Evidence Intelligence™

EvidenceScore™: Emerging; Score 59 · Based on 1 study
ImpactScore™: 50; Neutral
ConsistencyScore™: unclear; Not enough independent studies

Based on 1 study

View evidence

Included in these evidence collections

Curated evidence collections and hubs this study is part of.

Body Weight Evidence Hub

All studies measuring Body Weight

3 studies

outcome_hub

Measures Body Weight as a key outcome.

Ketogenic Diets Evidence Hub

All studies on Ketogenic Diets

3 studies

intervention_hub

Contributes to Ketogenic Diets evidence base.

Fasting Glucose Evidence Hub

All studies measuring Fasting Glucose

2 studies

outcome_hub

Measures Fasting Glucose as a key outcome.

Adipokine and Angiogenic Markers Evidence Hub

All studies measuring Adipokine and Angiogenic Markers

1 studies

outcome_hub

Measures Adipokine and Angiogenic Markers as a key outcome.

Recent Diabetes Research

Latest published studies

recency_collection

Published within the last 2 years.

Explore more in Evidence Explorer

Jump to pre-filtered views in Evidence Explorer.

All studies on Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet and Body weight

Intervention: Very-low-calorie ketogenic dietOutcome: Body weight

3 results

All studies on Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet and Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG)

Intervention: Very-low-calorie ketogenic dietOutcome: Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG)

2 results

All studies on Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet

Intervention: Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet

3 results

All studies measuring Body weight

Outcome: Body weight

3 results

All studies measuring Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG)

Outcome: Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG)

2 results

Questions answered by this study

Generated from the study's connected evidence using Evidence Intelligence™.

Does Ketogenic Diets improve body composition?

Strong Evidence

Ketogenic Diets may improve Body Composition.

ConsistencyScore™: Results are consistent across studies.

Ranked evidence signals

1
Body fat mass
EvidenceScore™ Emerging | EvidenceScore™ 59.0 | strong positive | ConsistencyScore™ Unclear | 1 study

Why this answer: This answer is based on 5 supporting studies with consistent results and a positive effect signal.

Limitations

Population details are unavailable.

View Full Evidence

Does Ketogenic Diets affect body weight?

Strong Evidence

Ketogenic Diets appears to improve Body Weight.

ConsistencyScore™: Results are consistent across studies.

Ranked evidence signals

1
Body weight
EvidenceScore™ Strong | EvidenceScore™ 79.0 | strong positive | ConsistencyScore™ Consistent | 1 study

Why this answer: This answer is based on 3 supporting studies with consistent results and a positive effect signal.

Limitations

Population details are unavailable.

View Full Evidence

Does Ketogenic Diets improve HbA1c?

Moderate Evidence

Ketogenic Diets may improve HbA1c.

ConsistencyScore™: Results are mixed and should be interpreted cautiously.

Evidence caveat: The available evidence reports mixed findings.

Ranked evidence signals

1
HbA1c
EvidenceScore™ Moderate | EvidenceScore™ 69.0 | moderate positive | ConsistencyScore™ Mixed | 1 study

Why this answer: This answer is cautious because the available studies report mixed findings.

Limitations

Only a small number of supporting studies are available.
Population details are unavailable.

View Full Evidence

Does Ketogenic Diets improve fasting glucose?

Moderate Evidence

Ketogenic Diets may improve Fasting Glucose.

ConsistencyScore™: Results are mixed and should be interpreted cautiously.

Evidence caveat: The available evidence reports mixed findings.

Ranked evidence signals

1
Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG)
EvidenceScore™ Moderate | EvidenceScore™ 69.0 | moderate positive | ConsistencyScore™ Mixed | 1 study

Why this answer: This answer is cautious because the available studies report mixed findings.

Limitations

Only a small number of supporting studies are available.
Population details are unavailable.

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Next steps

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Evidence topics

Follow the topics this study contributes to.

Dietary Patterns Evidence Hub Weight Loss Evidence Hub Glycemic Control Evidence Hub HbA1c Reduction Evidence Hub

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All studies on Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet and Body weight All studies on Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet and Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG)All studies on Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet and HbA1c All studies on Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet and BMI

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