Effect of Ketogenic Diet on Obesity and Other Metabolic Disorders: Narrative Review

Abstract

Obesity is defined as an abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that increases the burden of different chronic diseases in the population. It has reached epidemic proportions and is a major risk factor for a variety of diseases, including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidaemia, atherosclerosis, and some malignancies. Weight gain is a result of excessive energy intake compared to energy expenditure (energy loss from metabolism and physical exercise). A ketogenic diet has a more useful effect on obesity than other diets. A ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat, moderate-protein diet that induces the production of ketone bodies by mimicking the breakdown of a fasting state. The mechanism behind the ketogenic diet is still unknown, although it obviously helps people with obesity lose weight. Several pathways for the ketogenic diet effect on weight loss have been hypothesized by researchers, including reduced appetite due to effects on appetite control hormones and a possible direct appetite suppressant action of ketone bodies; reduced lipogenesis and increased lipolysis; greater metabolic efficiency; and increased metabolic costs.