Table 1 Baseline characteristics of study participants, N = 79
|  | Total, N = 79 n (%) | Dietary intervention arm | |
|---|---|---|---|
Low-fat, n = 41 n (%) | Low-carbohydrate, n = 38 n (%) | ||
Age (years) | Â | Â | Â |
 30–34 | 12 (15) | 7 (17) | 5 (13) |
 35–39 | 18 (23) | 10 (24) | 8 (21) |
 40–44 | 25 (32) | 14 (34) | 11 (29) |
 45–49 | 19 (24) | 9 (22) | 10 (26) |
 50–54 | 5 (6) | 1 (2) | 4 (11) |
Race | Â | Â | Â |
 White | 54 (68) | 29 (69) | 25 (68) |
 Black | 21 (27) | 11 (26) | 10 (27) |
 Asian | 1 (1) | 1 (2) | 0 (0) |
 American Indian | 1 (1) | 0 (0) | 1 (3) |
 Other | 2 (3) | 1 (2) | 1 (3) |
Marital status | Â | Â | Â |
 Married | 65 (82) | 35 (83) | 30 (81) |
 Divorced/separated | 4 (5) | 3 (7) | 1 (3) |
 Single, never married | 7 (9) | 2 (5) | 5 (14) |
 Single, living as married | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
 Widowed | 2 (3) | 2 (5) | 0 (0) |
 Unknown | 1 (1) | 0 (0) | 1 (3) |
Education | Â | Â | Â |
 High school diploma/GED | 3 (4) | 1 (2) | 2 (5) |
 Vocational/training school | 2 (3) | 2 (5) | 0 (0) |
 Some college | 14 (18) | 11 (26) | 3 (8) |
 Associate’s degree | 7 (9) | 3 (7) | 4 (11) |
 Bachelor’s degree | 20 (25) | 9 (21) | 11 (30) |
 Master’s degree | 9 (11) | 4 (10) | 5 (14) |
 Doctorate degree | 4 (5) | 2 (5) | 2 (5) |
 Unknown | 20 (25) | 10 (24) | 10 (27) |
Employment status | Â | Â | Â |
 Full-time | 38 (48) | 24 (57) | 14 (38) |
 Part-time | 9 (11) | 3 (7) | 6 (16) |
 On medical leave (employed) | 1 (1) | 1 (2) | 0 (0) |
 Self-employed | 6 (8) | 4 (10) | 2 (5) |
 Homemaker | 5 (6) | 0 (0) | 5 (14) |
 Unknown | 20 (25) | 10 (24) | 10 (27) |
Occupation | Â | Â | Â |
 Professional/technical-managerial/administrative | 43 (54) | 20 (48) | 23 (62) |
 Sales/clerical service | 7 (9) | 5 (12) | 2 (5) |
 Craftsman/machine operator/laborer | 1 (1) | 1 (2) | 0 (0) |
 Other | 8 (10) | 6 (14) | 2 (5) |
 Unknown | 20 (25) | 10 (24) | 10 (27) |
Annual household income | Â | Â | Â |
 <$10,000 | 1 (1) | 1 (2) | 0 (0) |
 $10,000-$19,999 | 2 (3) | 0 (0) | 2 (5) |
 $20,000-$34,999 | 4 (5) | 3 (7) | 1 (3) |
 $35,000-$49,999 | 7 (9) | 3 (7) | 4 (11) |
 $50,000-$74,999 | 12 (15) | 6 (14) | 6 (16) |
 $75,000-$99,999 | 15 (19) | 5 (12) | 10 (27) |
 $100,000-$149,999 | 10 (13) | 6 (14) | 4 (11) |
 >$150,000 | 5 (6) | 3 (7) | 2 (5) |
 Don’t know | 1 (1) | 1 (2) | 0 (0) |
 Refused | 3 (4) | 2 (5) | 1 (3) |
 Unknown | 22 (28) | 12 (29) | 10 (27) |
Health insurance status | Â | Â | Â |
 Private insurance | 54 (68) | 28 (67) | 26 (70) |
 Military of VA insurance | 1(1) | 1 (2) | 0 (0) |
 Medicare | 1 (1) | 1 (2) | 0 (0) |
 Uninsured, self-pay | 3 (4) | 1 (2) | 2 (5) |
 Uninsured, no means to pay | 1 (1) | 1 (2) | 0 (0) |
 Unknown | 19 (24) | 10 (24) | 9 (24) |
Smoking status | Â | Â | Â |
 Never/former smoker | 56 (71) | 29 (69) | 27 (73) |
 Current smoker | 1 (1) | 1 (2) | 0 (0) |
BMI (kg/m2), mean ± SD | 30.3 (2.8) | 30.5 (2.9) | 30.1 (2.6) |
Energy expenditure through physical activity (kcal/day), mean ± SDa | 515.0 (176.2) | 526.8 (204.6) | 500.9 (137.1) |
Daily dietary consumption, mean ± SDb |  |  |  |
 Total calories | 1729.3 (409.2) | 1760.9 (299.0) | 1729.3 (409.2) |
 Fat (% of calories) | 31.4 (4.9) | 30.3 (5.1) | 32.4 (4.4) |
 Protein (% of calories) | 18.8 (3.7) | 17.2 (2.7) | 20.3 (3.9) |
 Carbohydrates (% of calories) | 50.2 (6.7) | 53.5 (6.0) | 46.9 (5.6) |