Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of participants randomly assigned to either a low-carbohydrate or low-fat diet
| Variable | Low carbohydrate (n = 37) | Low fat (n = 42) |
|---|---|---|
| Age, years (SD) | 60.8 (10.3) | 58.6 (9.2) |
| BMI, kg/m2 (SD) | 38.2 (6.0) | 36.1 (4.6) |
| Male gender, number (%) | 30 (81.8) | 40 (95.2) |
| Race, number (%) | ||
| White | 14 (37.8) | 18 (42.9) |
| Black | 23 (62.0) | 22 (52.4) |
| Other | 0 | 2 (4.8) |
| Medications for diabetes, number (%) | ||
| Insulin | 7 (20.0) | 11 (32.4) |
| Metformin | 25 (71.4) | 18 (52.9) |
| Thiazolidinedione | 5 (14.3) | 6 (17.7) |
| Sulfonylurea | 23 (65.7) | 19 (55.9) |
| Hypertension, number (%) | 27 (73.0) | 33 (78.6) |
| Hyperlipidemia, number (%) | 21 (56.8) | 32 (76.2) |
| Coronary artery disease, number (%) | 10 (27.0) | 13 (31.0) |
| Cigarette smoking, number (%) | 4 (10.8) | 8 (19.1) |
Notes: Values are expressed as means (SD), unless otherwise specified. There were no significant baseline differences between groups.
Abbreviations: SD, standard deviation; BMI, body mass index.