According to a clinical trial published in Cell Metabolism on August 27, a very low-carbohydrate, high-fat ketogenic (keto) diet may offer stronger metabolic benefits for individuals with obesity compared to a Mediterranean diet or a low-fat diet. After four to five months on the keto diet, approximately half of the participants with obesity and prediabetes no longer met the criteria for prediabetes. The study, conducted by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, enrolled 42 individuals with obesity, prediabetes, and fatty liver disease, randomly assigning them to follow either a ketogenic, Mediterranean, or low-fat, plant-forward diet. Despite similar weight loss across all groups, the ketogenic diet resulted in the most significant reduction in liver fat (67% on average) compared to the Mediterranean (45%) and plant-forward (45%) diets. Additionally, participants on the keto diet experienced the largest improvements in insulin sensitivity and a notable decline in blood insulin levels, contributing to lower liver fat. The researchers also observed that the ketogenic group did not experience an increase in blood fat or cholesterol levels despite the high fat intake. The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health and the Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital. [Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/2608280827.htm]