Does a low-carb diet really work for weight loss?

One of the "trends" in weight loss is low-carb diets, in which people try to reduce the amount of carbohydrates in their diets as much as possible. In addition to its weight loss promise, proponents of the diet believe it can improve other health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. However, researchers in South Africa and the UK found little difference in results between those who took and those who ate balanced carbohydrates.

"When overweight and obese participants with and without type 2 diabetes [type 2 diabetes] were randomly assigned to a low-fat diet for up to two years of follow-up, changes in weight loss and cardiovascular risk factors may have occurred. difference in carbohydrate content or a balanced carbohydrate diet," the study authors concluded.

It's worth explaining that carbohydrates are found in bread, cereal, and other grains. In addition, they are also found in fruits, vegetables and milk. They are also found in ultra-processed foods such as soda, cakes and fast food. Basically, they are present in almost everything consumed. So, escaping them can be a daunting task.

low carb and science
In the systematic review, the researchers included 61 randomized controlled trials – the highest level of scientific evidence
In total, there were about 7,000 overweight volunteers. Of these, 1,800 had type 2 diabetes. Participants who were not overweight were not included in the survey.

To evaluate the results of the low-carb diet, the researchers compared the results with those who ate a balanced carbohydrate diet. For this, it is necessary to define the composition of these two foods. According to the team, these are the defaults:

Low-carb diets: Ketogenic diets (average intake of less than 50 grams of carbs per day) and low-carb diets (consumption of 50 to 150 grams of carbs per day or less than 45% of total carbohydrate energy) ;

Balanced carbohydrate diet: More than 150 grams of carbohydrates per day or 45-65% of total carbohydrate energy.

Balanced carbohydrate diet: More than 150 grams of carbohydrates per day or 45-65% of total carbohydrate energy.

Is it worth cutting 100% of carbs?
After analyzing the results, the scientists found that among adults who were overweight but without diabetes, those who followed a low-carb diet for 3 to 8 months lost an average of 1 pound more than those who followed a balanced diet. . The average difference in weight loss over a longer period of one to two years on the diet was less than 1 kg.
Focusing only on volunteers with diabetes, the results were similar. The difference between the low-carb and balanced models was 1.3 kg on a 3- to 6-month diet. However, in longer interventions lasting one to two years, no differences were found.

In addition, the team found no additional health benefits for volunteers among those on more restrictive or balanced diets, such as controlling blood pressure, cholesterol, dropping blood sugar, or risk of a cold. This explains why consuming low carbs or following a balanced diet can lead to very similar results.