High Protein Diet vs. Insulin Sensitivity - Effective for Sedentary Women, as Well

I think while I do not have to repeat the importance of a healthy diet, especially the women among you may still think of pasta, rice, grain and vegetables as being the primary or even single ingredient in such a diet, so I consider it my duty, to report the results of a 2010 study (Jung. 2010) published in the October issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. The examined the effect of an exercise program and two different dietary regimens (high carbohydrate, HC vs. high protein, HP) on 181 sedentary women (44±12 yrs; 92±17 kg; 44±5 % fat).

Diets consisted of 1,200 kcal/d for 1-wk and 1,600 kcal/d for 9 wks. Diets were 55% CHO, 15% P, and 30% F (HC) or 7-15% CHO, 55-63% P, and 30% F (HP). Exercise groups participated in a supervised fitness program (3-d/wk) that involved 30 min of circuit-style resistance training interspersed with callisthenic exercises.

The results are equivocal, the HOMA, i.e. an index which measures insulin resistance and sensitivity "increased to a greater degree in the HP group (1.48±0.4) while glucose decreased to a greater degree in the HH group (-13.3±5 mg/dL).", meaning that the high protein diet helped to get off / alleviate the carbohydrate addiction, while the high carb diet made things even worse. These results lead the scientists to conclude:

A HP diet during resistance training promotes more favorable changes in HOMA and individuals with higher HOMA values experience a greater reduction in fasting glucose levels.