Adherence to low-carb and low-fat diets in relation to weight loss and cardiovascular risk factors

Summary

Objective

A low-carbohydrate diet can reduce body weight and some cardiovascular disease risk factors more than a low-fat diet, but differential adherence may play a role in these effects.

Methods

Data were used from 148 adults who participated in a 12-month clinical trial examining the effect of a low-carbohydrate diet (<40 g d−1) and a low-fat diet (<30% fat and <7% saturated fat) on weight and cardiovascular disease risk factors. We compared attendance at counselling sessions, deviation from nutrient goals, urinary ketone presence and composite scores representing the overall adherence based on the distribution of these individual indicators between two interventions.

Results

Composite scores were similar between the two groups. A one-interquartile-range increase in composite score representing better adherence to a low-carbohydrate diet was associated with 2.2 kg or 2.3% greater weight loss, 1.1 greater reduction in percent fat mass and 1.3 greater increase in proportion of lean mass. Indicators of adherence to a low-fat diet were not associated with changes in weight, fat mass or lean mass.

Conclusions

Despite comparable adherence between groups, a low-carbohydrate diet was associated with greater reductions in body weight and improvement in body composition, while a low-fat diet was not associated with weight loss.

Full study here:  http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/osp4.23/full

It may be the wrong thing to do, but, sometimes I look at the conclusions first before I then read the report ...

" Despite comparable adherence between groups, a low-carbohydrate diet was associated with greater reductions in body weight and improvement in body composition, while a low-fat diet was not associated with weight loss."

Full study here:  http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/osp4.23/full

Thanks for this article ...

Yes me too BUT bear in mind sometimes the best bits are carefully hidden among the Discussion and the Results.

One paper by Ron Krauss failed to make the point that the improvements in lipids etc. all occurred BEFORE there was time for any weight loss. Krauss probably took this for granted but Jeff Volek chose to emphasise this point in a followup. Some studies show remarkable improvements in triglycerides, for example, which the authors choose to ignore since they are trying to prove LDL goes up on low carb. Not true for Lynda(?) Bazzano