Low-fat diets ‘better than cutting carbs’ for weight loss

Cutting fat from your diet leads to more fat loss than reducing carbohydrates, a health study shows.

Scientists intensely analysed people on controlled diets by inspecting every morsel of food, minute of exercise and breath taken.

Both diets, led to fat loss when calories were cut, but people lost more when they reduced fat intake.

Experts say the most effective diet is one people can stick to.

It has been argued that restricting carbs is the best way to get rid of a “spare tyre” as it alters the body’s metabolism.

The theory goes that fewer carbohydrates lead to lower levels of insulin, which in turn lead to fat being released from the body’s stores.

“All of those things do happen with carb reduction and you do lose body fat, but not as much as when you cut out the fat,” said lead researchers.

Cutting down on carbohydrates might not be as effective after all, the study suggests

In the study, 19 obese people were initially given 2,700 calories a day.

Then, over a period of two weeks they tried diets which cut their calorie intake by a third, either by reducing carbohydrates or fat.

The team analysed the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide being breathed out and the amount of nitrogen in participants’ urine to calculate precisely the chemical processes taking place inside the body.

Dr Hall said there was no “metabolic” reason to chose a low-carb diet.

However, studies suggest that in the real world, where diets are less strictly controlled, people may lose more weight by reducing carbohydrate intake.

Dr Hall said: “If it’s easier to stick to one diet than another, and to ideally do it permanently, then you should choose that diet.

“But if a low-fat diet is better for you, then you are not going to be at a metabolic disadvantage.”

Doctors Susan Roberts and Sai Das, said in a commentary that the debate around diets was a source of “intense controversy”.

They said the study had “debunked” many of the claims that low-carbohydrate diets were better, but the long-term impact was still unclear.

They added: “The most important message for now is probably that some carbohydrates are all right, especially the healthy whole-grain low-glycaemic-index variety.”

Prof Susan Jebb, said: “The investigators rightly conclude that the best diet for weight loss is the diet you can stick to.

“All diets ‘work’ if you stick to an eating plan that cuts calories, whether from fat or carbohydrate, but sticking to a diet is easier said than done, especially given the prolonged time it takes to lose weight.

Source: BBC

N.H.Khider