low carb diet vs. low fat diet

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shaumom
shaumom Posts: 1,003 Member
in Food and Nutrition
A new study just came out looking at folks on a low carb diet or a low fat diet, who maintained the diet for a year.

Those on the low carb diet (<40 grams/day) did much better for weight loss. The low carb group lost 8 pounds more, on average, than the low fat group. They had greater reductions in body fat and improved their lean muscle mass - even thought neither group changed their activity level. They also had bodily inflammation go down. Their HDL (good cholesterol) grew more sharply with these folks than the low fat group.

Those on the low fat diet (< 30% daily energy intake from fat and <7% saturated fat) lost fewer pounds and they ended up losing more muscle mass than they lost fat. The % of daily energy intake from fat that the government recommends is between 30% (http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2000/document/choose.htm).

Bad cholesterol stayed the same for both groups.

Thought this was worth sharing for those considering either diet.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/02/health/low-carb-vs-low-fat-diet.html?_r=1

Replies

  • colors_fade
    colors_fade Posts: 464 Member
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    Ugh...

    Please, re-read the study.

    Here's some help: https://gokaleo.com/2014/09/02/dumb-study-is-dumb/

    And here's the actual study: http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleID=1900694

    The people on the low-carb diet ATE FEWER CALORIES than the people on the low fat diet. That is why they lost more weight.

    News agencies are falling all over themselves to mis-report this study. It's sad.

    You can't fool the laws of science.
  • Savlona
    Savlona Posts: 84 Member
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    Any diet will do :)
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-29031985

    It's sticking to it that's important...
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
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    I don't believe in diets because they are temporary. Change your lifestyle and you will have success. Eat a little less, eat better foods and watch your calories.
  • MelRC117
    MelRC117 Posts: 911 Member
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    This horse was beaten on two threads yesterday.
  • bigsistruck
    bigsistruck Posts: 125 Member
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    Yup. I've done both with the same amount of calories and neither was faster at making me lose weight than the other. I quickly went back to eating my carbs, since I had no energy without them.
  • gmstarr1
    gmstarr1 Posts: 66 Member
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    Yup. I've done both with the same amount of calories and neither was faster at making me lose weight than the other. I quickly went back to eating my carbs, since I had no energy without them.

    I agree that low carb doesn't make you lose weight faster than any other, but for me I had the opposite reaction. I feel better without the carbs.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    I don't believe in diets because they are temporary. Change your lifestyle and you will have success. Eat a little less, eat better foods and watch your calories.

    This^

    I would just add....move a little more. So many Americans are way too sedentary.

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