Carnivorous Body Builders, Alcoholics or Skeletal Rakes? Low Fat Low Carb Diabetics

Nutritional Problem

To determine if a low carb, low fat lifestyle is sustainable and consider the characteristics of diabetics claiming such a lifestyle.

As a means of structuring the post a diabetic male aged 51 or older and leading a sedentary lifestyle is considered.  The diabetic is not attempting to lose weight. According to:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/estimated-calorie-requirement

such a diabetic requires a nutritional intake sufficient to provide 2000 calories per day. A younger male or one having a more physically active lifestyle will require more calories per day.

Nutritional Data

1 gm of carbohydrate ≡ 4 calories,

1 gm of fat ≡ 9 calories

1 gm of protein ≡ 4 calorie

1 25 ml unit of Scotch whisky ≡ 70 calories

Nutritional Equation

calories per day =

4 x carbohydrate (gm per day) +

9 x fat (gm per day) +

4 x protein (gm per day) +

70 x whisky (unit per day)                                                                                                                       (1)

Low Carb

Low carb is defined to be 50 gm per day. It should be readily apparent how to complete the analysis with other definitions of low carb but 50 gm per day seems to be the amount used by a number of diabetics.

Low Fat

Low fat regimes of 0, 25 and 50 gm per day are analysed.

Protein (gm per day) required for sedentary diabetic

Using a simple manipulation of Equation (1), the definitions of low carb and low fat and the nutritional data, the following table shows the amount of protein (gm per day) required for the sedentary diabetic following a low carb, low fat regime and having a maximum of 3 units of whisky per day .

Low Fat	Units of Whisky
gm per day	0	1	2	3
0	450.00	432.50	415.00	397.50
25	393.75	376.25	358.75	341.25
50	337.50	320.00	302.50	285.00

There are many sources of protein. However, it seems reasonable to label a diabetic requiring such large (and dangerous) amounts of protein as “Carnivorous Body Builder”.

Whisky (units per day required for sedentary diabetic

Using a simple manipulation of Equation (1), the definitions of low carb and low fat, the nutritional data and RDA for protein of 55 gm per day, the following table shows the amount of whisky (units per day) required for the sedentary diabetic following a low carb, low fat regime.

Low Fat gm per day	Units of Whisky
0	22.57
25	19.36
50	16.14

It seems reasonable to label a diabetic requiring such large (and dangerous) amounts of whisky as “Alcoholic”.

Number of calories per day for sedentary diabetic

Using Equation (1), the definitions of low carb and low fat, the nutritional data, the RDA for protein of 55 gm per day and a maximum of 3 units of whisky per day, the following table shows the number of calories per day for the sedentary diabetic.

Low Fat	Units of Whisky
gm per day	0	1	2	3
0	420	490	560	630
25	645	715	785	855
50	870	940	1010	1080

It seems reasonable to label a diabetic having such small (and in some cases, dangerous) intake of calories as “Skeletal Rake”.

Conclusions

This post has examined the nutritional requirements for a male sedentary diabetic aged 51 or older to achieve a sustained 2000 calories per day under a low carb low fat regime. The analysis showed that there were only three outcomes.

1. With a maximum of 3 units of whisky per day, carnivorous body building amounts of protein would be required; or

2. With a RDA of protein, an alcoholic inducing number of units of whisky would be required; or

3. With a maximum of 3 units of whisky per day and a RDA of protein, the calorific input would result in a skeletal rake.

A more likely scenario is that, under the conditions stated, that those who claim a sustained low carb, low fat, lifestyle are charlatans or naive fools.

John