Interventions / Measures
Participants were assigned to the following groups:
low-carb diet plus high cocoa content chocolate
(chocolate group), low-carb diet (low-carb group),
and the control group.
The participants of the chocolate group were told
to eat as many low-carbohydrate foods as possible,
and to increase the protein and fat content of their
diet. Additionally, they were given 875 grams of
chocolate with a cocoa content of 81 percent. They
were asked to consume a daily dose of 42 grams of
chocolate in addition to the low-carb diet. Over a
period of three weeks, 100 percent of the subjects
adhered to this requirement.The participants of the low-carb group were instructed
to change their diet to a low-carbohydrate
diet. Concerning the diet, their instructions were absolutely
identical with those of the chocolate group.
Nutrition interventions that apply a low-carbohydrate
diet are currently the most applied approach
to a weight-loss diet, which is particularly recommended
in the S3-guidelines on "Prevention and
Treatment of Obesity." [13]
Participants in the control group were encouraged
to continue their previous eating habits. It should be
noted that the study was conducted in early January,
after the Christmas / New Year celebrations.