All statistical analyses were performed with SPSS 18. Significance was accepted at P < 0.05. Unless otherwise stated, values are given as mean ± standard deviation (SD). Enrolment began in March 2007 and the study ended in June 2010. Of 170 randomized subjects, 102 completed the dietary intervention phase and were included in the statistical analysis (Fig. 1). Similar proportions of subjects in each group completed the study (65% in the reduced carbohydrate and 60% in the reduced fat group). In subjects not completing the study, the time to discontinuation was 3.1 ± 1.6 months in the reduced carbohydrate and 3.2 ± 1.4 months

in the reduced fat group (P = not significant [n.s.]). Both groups were well matched for gender, age, body weight, body mass index, blood lipid profiles, glucose metabolism, PF-01367338 order and cardiorespiratory fitness. Table 1 shows baseline characteristics in both intervention groups separately for subjects with normal and elevated intrahepatic fat content. As shown in Fig. 2, energy intake was reduced with both

dietary interventions. The estimated reduction in energy intake was numerically but not significantly greater in the reduced carbohydrate (−25%) compared with the reduced fat group (−21%). Figure 2 also illustrates changes in fat and carbohydrate ingestion for both groups during dietary intervention. In the reduced fat group, fat ingestion was decreased (−50%), whereas carbohydrate (−8%) and protein ingestion (−3%) remained largely unchanged. In the reduced carbohydrate group we observed a moderate increase in protein intake (9%) in addition to the carbohydrate (−54%) and fat (−9%) changes. CHIR-99021 in vivo Figure selleckchem 3 shows saturated fatty acid, and n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid ingestion before and on diet. Saturated and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids were ingested less during diet with reduced fat compared to reduced carbohydrate diet. In an intention

to treat analysis with last observation carried forward analysis, weight loss tended to be greater with reduced carbohydrates (95.0 ± 15.9 to 89.5 ± 15.9 kg; P < 0.001) compared to reduced fat diet (93.6 ± 17.3 to 89.4 ± 17.0 kg; P < 0.001) (P = 0.078 between interventions). In completers, weight loss after 6 months was similar in subjects assigned to a reduced carbohydrate compared to subjects assigned to a reduced fat diet (Table 2). The time course of weight loss during the intervention was similar in both groups (Fig. 4). During 6 months caloric restriction, intrahepatic fat decreased from 7.6 ± 8.2 to 4 ± 4.6% (−47%) in the reduced carbohydrate and from 9.6 ± 9.8 to 5.6 ± 6.4% (−42%) in the reduced fat group, (P = n.s. between interventions, P < 0.001 compared with baseline for both). Abdominal visceral fat mass decreased from 1.8 ± 1.1 to 1.4 ± 0.9 kg (−22%) with reduced carbohydrate and from 1.9 ± 1 to 1.5 ± 0.9 kg (−21%) with reduced fat diet (P = n.s. between interventions, P < 0.001 compared with baseline for both).