Do Low-Carb Diets Work?
Low-carb diets work because of calorie restriction,
not carb restriction, that from reviewing medical
studies back to the 1960’s.
After reviewing medical studies from as far back
as the 1960s, researchers found that low-carb diets
may not be an effective way to lose weight. Although
a low-carb diet will help you shed pounds in the
short-term, researchers say it’s because of
calorie restriction, not carb restriction.
Researchers reviewed dietary studies published
between 1966 and 2003 that involved a total of
3,268 study
participants. Of the participants, 663 people
followed low-carbohydrate diets, defined
as consuming 60
grams of carbs per day or less, and 71 people
consumed about 20 grams per day, which is
the amount recommended
by popular low-carb diets, such as the Atkins’ diet.
According to U.S. Recommended Daily Allowances,
a person on the average 2,000-calorie diet
should consume
about 300 grams of carbohydrates daily.
It was found that the low-carb diet had no
adverse effects on cholesterol, glucose,
insulin or blood
pressure. Weight loss among obese patients
was associated with adherence to the diet
rather than reduced carbohydrate
intake.
Researchers noted that most of the studies
lasted less than 90 days, so knowledge
about the long-term
effects of low-carb diets is limited. The
National Institutes of Health is planning
a study that
will compare health benefits of people
on low-carb and
regular diets over a five-year period.
Researchers conclude that there is inadequate
evidence to either support or refute
the claims that low-carb
diets are good for you. They note that
balancing nutrition, consuming a healthy
amount of
calories and exercising are reliable
ways to produce
weight loss. JAMA April 9, 2003;Vol.
289 No. 14
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DID
YOU KNOW: Federal health statistics show that
nearly 65% of Americans are overweight and that 31%
are obese, or more than 30 pounds over a healthy
weight.
