The study randomly assigned 132 severely obese subjects to either a carbohydrate-restricted (low-carb) diet or a fat-restricted (low-fat) diet. A number of outcomes were measured, including weight loss, but this data set includes information only on their triglyceride levels (high triglycerides are a marker of metabolic syndrome, a common complication of obesity).
The study lasted for 6 months; seventy-nine subjects completed the study.
Group: Randomly assigned diet group (LowFat, LowCarb)Baseline: Triglyceride levels at beginning of study (mg/dL)Completion: Triglyceride levels at end of study (mg/dL)I was unable to get the original data; this data is simulated from a lognormal distribution, with summary statistics matching those reported in the original study.
Samaha F, Iqbal N, Seshadri P, Chicano K, Daily D, McGrory J, Williams T, Williams M, Gracely E, and Stern L. (2003). A low-carbohydrate as compared with a low-fat diet in severe obesity. New England Journal of Medicine, 348: 2074-2081.