What About Ketogenic Diet for Kids?

Diabetes Daily has in interesting article that addresses that question. A snippet:

In October 2023, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published a report examining low-carbohydrate diets like keto in children and adolescents. You probably won’t be surprised that the authors are concerned. Despite the increasing popularity of carbohydrate restriction, evidence to support the benefits of low-carb diets in young people under 18 with obesity or diabetes is very limited. And though diabetes authorities have acknowledged that carb restriction has “the most evidence” for improving blood sugar levels, the American Diabetes Association has only endorsed low-carb eating as one of multiple possible eating patterns.

And yet, there are many people in the diabetes community who believe in the effectiveness of low, even very-low, carbohydrate diets for their children. There’s at least one study that supports their advocacy


I’m not a pediatrician and never treat children in my hospital practice, not even 17-year-olds. Nor have I reviewed the pertinent pediatric scientific literature. So I’ve never been comfortable writing about keto diets for children. The linked DD article was reviewed by Anna Goldman, M.D.

Steve Parker, M.D.

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