Study reveals low-carbohydrate diets emphasizing healthy, plant-based sources associated with slower long-term weight gain

Low-carbohydrate diets comprised largely of plant-based proteins and fat with wholesome carbohydrates corresponding to entire grains had been associated with slower long-term weight gain than low-carbohydrate diets comprised largely of animal proteins and fat with unhealthy carbohydrates like refined starches, in response to a brand new research led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

The research was revealed on December 27, 2023, in JAMA Network Open.

“Our research goes past the straightforward query of, ‘To carb or to not carb?’” stated lead writer Binkai Liu, analysis assistant within the Department of Nutrition. “It dissects the low-carbohydrate food plan and gives a nuanced have a look at how the composition of those diets can have an effect on well being over years, not simply weeks or months.”

While many research have proven the advantages of chopping carbohydrates for short-term weight loss, little analysis has been carried out on low-carbohydrate diets’ impact on long-term weight upkeep and the function of meals group high quality.

Using information from the Nurses’ Health Study, Nurses’ Health Study II, and Health Professionals Follow-up Study, the researchers analyzed the diets and weights of 123,332 wholesome adults from as early as 1986 to as lately as 2018. Each participant offered self-reports of their diets and weights each 4 years.

The researchers scored members’ diets based mostly on how properly they adhered to 5 classes of low-carbohydrate food plan: complete low-carbohydrate food plan (TLCD), emphasizing total decrease carbohydrate consumption; animal-based low-carbohydrate food plan (ALCD), emphasizing animal-based proteins and fat; vegetable-based low-carbohydrate food plan (VLCD), emphasizing plant-based proteins and fat; wholesome low-carbohydrate food plan (HLCD), emphasizing plant-based proteins, wholesome fat, and fewer refined carbohydrates; and unhealthy low-carbohydrate food plan (ULCD), emphasizing animal-based proteins, unhealthy fat, and carbohydrates coming from unhealthy sources corresponding to processed breads and cereals.

The research discovered that diets comprised of plant-based proteins and fat and wholesome carbohydrates had been considerably associated with slower long-term weight gain.

Participants who elevated their adherence to TLCD, ALCD, and ULCD on common gained extra weight in comparison with those that elevated their adherence to HLCD over time.

These associations had been most pronounced amongst members who had been youthful (<55 years previous), chubby or overweight, and/or much less bodily lively. The outcomes for the vegetable-based low carbohydrate food plan had been extra ambiguous: Data from the Nurses’ Health Study II confirmed an affiliation between greater VLCD scores and fewer weight gain over time, whereas information round VLCD scores from the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study had been extra combined.

“The key takeaway right here is that not all low-carbohydrate diets are created equal relating to managing weight within the long-term,” stated senior writer Qi Sun, affiliate professor within the Department of Nutrition. “Our findings may shake up the best way we take into consideration standard low-carbohydrate diets and recommend that public well being initiatives ought to proceed to advertise dietary patterns that emphasize healthful meals like entire grains, fruits, greens, and low-fat dairy merchandise.”

Other Harvard Chan authors included Molin Wang, affiliate professor within the Departments of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and Yang Hu, analysis scientist; Sharan Rai, postdoctoral analysis fellow; and Frank Hu, professor, within the Department of Nutrition.