Quality of low-carb diets can affect body weight

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In recent research, scientists have found interesting links between the types of low-carb diets people follow and their weight changes. This study was shared online on December 27 in a medical journal called JAMA Network Open.

The research was led by Binkai Liu and his team from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston. They wanted to see if the kind of low-carb diet someone follows could predict how their weight would change over time.

To do this, they looked at three large groups of people from different studies: the Nurses’ Health Study (from 1986 to 2010), the Nurses’ Health Study II (1991 to 2015), and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986 to 2018).

These studies had a lot of participants – 123,332 people, and most of them were women (about 84%).

In their research, the team focused on five different types of low-carb diets.

They named these diets as total low-carb diet (TLCD), animal-based low-carb diet (ALCD), vegetable-based low-carb diet (VLCD), healthy low-carb diet (HCLD), and unhealthy low-carb diet (ULCD). Each of these diets had different food items and nutrients.

The results showed something interesting. Over four years, people’s weight usually increased a little – between 0.8 to 1.8 kilograms. But when the researchers looked closer, they saw that the type of low-carb diet people followed made a difference.

If someone increased their score in the total low-carb diet, they would likely gain a small amount of weight (about 0.06 kg). For the animal-based and unhealthy low-carb diets, this weight gain was a bit more (0.13 and 0.39 kg, respectively).

However, the story was different for the vegetable-based and healthy low-carb diets. Here, people actually tended to gain less weight – they lost about 0.03 and 0.36 kg, respectively. This effect was even more noticeable in people who were already obese.

What does this mean? Well, the researchers think that focusing only on how much carbs, proteins, or fats you eat isn’t enough.

It’s also important to think about the quality of these nutrients. Choosing healthier options seems to be key in maintaining a good body weight.

In summary, this study highlights the importance of not just cutting down on carbs for weight loss, but choosing the right kind of low-carb foods.

It’s not just about eating less of something, but eating the right type of it. This could be helpful for anyone trying to manage their weight or for those interested in nutrition and health.

If you care about nutrition, please read studies about berry that can prevent cancer, diabetes, and obesity, and the harm of vitamin D deficiency you need to know.

For more information about nutrition, please see recent studies about the connection between potatoes and high blood pressure,  and results showing why turmeric is a health game-changer.

The research findings can be found in JAMA Network Open.

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