Exploring the Barriers and Enablers to Implementing a 16-Week Low-Carbohydrate Diet for Patients With Diabetic Cardiomyopathy.
Sabine Kleissl-Muir, Andrea Driscoll, Alice Owen and 2 others
PMID 37550835WHAT IT FOUND
Patients with diabetic cardiomyopathy said feeling less hungry, sleeping better, and moving more easily helped them continue a low-carbohydrate diet.
Cost, time, family meals, and mixed hospital advice made it harder.
Key findings
01Nine patients were interviewed about their experience of the diet.
02Four themes emerged: nutrition literacy, disease-related health benefits, balancing commitments, and availability of resources and support.
03Perceived health improvements were described as enablers, and cost was described as a barrier.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was small and came from one heart function clinic, so it may not apply elsewhere. All interviews were online or by phone because of the pandemic, so face-to-face trial experiences might differ. The study explored experiences after a trial, not the effects of the diet itself.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these patient-reported improvements as proof that the diet works. This was a qualitative interview study of patients who had already completed a low-carbohydrate trial, and it did not compare the diet with usual care or measure outcomes.