- Low-carbohydrate diets are a popular way to lose weight.
- Scientists studied whether the quality of a low-carb diet influences long-term weight loss.
- A high-quality, low-carbohydrate diet with an emphasis on plant-based foods was associated with slower weight gain.
Eat a healthy, low-carbohydrate diet with an emphasis on quality plant-based proteinStudies have shown that carbohydrates such as , fat, and whole grains are associated with long-term weight loss.
In contrast, less healthy low-carbohydrate diets, which are high in animal proteins, fats, and less nutritious carbohydrates such as refined starches, had the opposite effect and were associated with weight gain. weight gain.
The study was published on Wednesday. JAMA network open, sheds new light on low-carbohydrate diets, a long-popular method for weight loss. atkins to Keto.
but, long term weight loss This is notoriously difficult to achieve, experts previously told Business Insider. The best diet to lose fat and keep it off Low carb or not, it's something a person can stick to.
The authors emphasize that extreme low-carbohydrate diets can be unsustainable, which is part of the reason it was named the keto diet. The worst diet for healthy eating Ranked #1 in the 2022 U.S. News and World Report annual rankings.
High-quality, low-carbohydrate diets may facilitate long-term weight loss
The study authors set out to understand whether a low-carbohydrate diet could help people. lose weight Whether the quality of the food made a difference in the long run.
Researchers used data from an existing study collected between 1986 and 2018 on 123,332 US-based participants. Participants, with an average age of 45, mostly women, and mostly white, shared information about their diet and weight when they first entered each study and once every two years thereafter.
To chart the changes in participants' weight, the research team looked at the data at four-year intervals.
The authors categorized participants according to whether they adhered to the following statements:
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Complete low-carbohydrate diet: A diet that is low in carbohydrates overall.
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Animal-based LCD: Highlights animal protein and fat
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Plant-based LCD: Highlights plant-based fats and proteins
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Healthy LCD: Reduce refined carbohydrates, increase plant-based protein, emphasize healthy fats
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Or Unhealthy LCD: Highlights less healthy sources such as carbohydrates, unhealthy fats, and animal protein.
Co-author Binkai Liu, a research assistant in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told Business Insider that the diet analyzed contained about 40% carbohydrates, compared to the keto diet, which allows only 5%. He said that he is drawing a clear line.
People who consume a low-carbohydrate diet that focuses on high-quality protein, fat, and carbohydrates from healthy plant-based foods, including whole grains, are more likely to gain weight more slowly in the long term. On the other hand, people who ate low-quality, low-carbohydrate diets tended to gain weight more slowly over the long term. The diet had the opposite effect.
Ryu told CNN People with unhealthy LCD screens gained an average of about 5.1 pounds over four years, while those with healthy conditions gained an average of about 5.1 pounds over four years. low carb diet I lost an average of 4.9 pounds.
The authors said the study results show how important the quality of a person's low-carbohydrate diet is to their health. maintain weight loss Long term.
A diet packed with whole foods is best
“The takeaway here is that not all low-carbohydrate diets are created equal when it comes to long-term weight management,” says Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health. said author Qi Sun. Said In a statement. “Our findings have the potential to challenge the way we think about low-carbohydrate diets in general and encourage public health efforts to focus on healthy foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products. This suggests that we need to continue to promote the dietary patterns we value.”
The authors acknowledged the study's limitations, including its reliance on participants accurately reporting changes in weight and diet. Also, participants' body composition, including abdominal fat levels, was not measured. In other words, the team could not determine whether LCD was associated with changes in lean body mass and fat levels. Future studies should aim to replicate the results in a more diverse population and explain the association, the researchers said.
Dr. David Katz, a preventive medicine expert who was not involved in the study, told CNN that while the observational study was not designed to prove cause and effect, it does suggest that there is a link. “It's difficult to explain,” he said.
Katz told CNN that the study's conclusion is that low-carbohydrate diets alone generally do not help with sustained weight loss, but that plant-based, high-quality, low-carbohydrate diets are associated with sustained weight loss. He said he is doing so.
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