New Study Reveals Potential Weight Gain from Meat-based Low Carb Diets
Eating a low-carb diet based on meat may initially aid weight loss, but a recent study suggests it may not be effective for long-term weight management Findings highlight the need for further research on sustainable dietary approaches
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The study discovered that individuals who followed an unhealthy, meat-based low-carb diet tended to gain weight over time, while those who opted for a healthier, plant-based version did not. Dr. Qi Sun, associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, stated that consuming diets rich in whole grains, healthy non-tropical vegetable oils, and plant proteins can help prevent excess weight gain.
Dr. David Katz, a specialist in preventive and lifestyle medicine and the founder of the nonprofit True Health Initiative, stated that the study's comparison of different low-carb diets and their effects on lasting weight loss is unprecedented. He was not involved in the research.
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One identical twin went vegan while the other didnt. See what happened
All of the diets reduced carbohydrate intake to approximately 38% to 40% of daily calorie intake. However, individuals who consumed an unhealthy low-carb diet rich in animal protein and fat gained more weight in the long term compared to those who focused on higher consumption of fruit, whole grains, and non-starchy vegetables, as well as lower consumption of dairy, red and processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, sweets, and desserts.
According to first author Binkai Liu, a research assistant in the department of nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, those who adopted unhealthy low-carb diets as their primary strategy gained an average of around 2.3 kg, or 5.1 lbs., over a 4-year period.
"According to her, individuals who embraced nutritious low-carb meal plans as their main approach shed an average of approximately 2.2 kg, or 4.9 lbs., resulting in a mean overall difference of 10 lbs.," she said via email.
Red and processed meat has been linked to cancer, heart disease, diabetes and more, putting any diet based on it into the "unhealthy" category, experts say.
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The research, released in JAMA Network Open on Wednesday, analyzed information from more than 67,000 participants in three long-term studies: the Nurses Health Study (1986-2010), the Nurses Health Study II (1991-2015), and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986-2018).
Katz emphasized that these are merely observational studies and are not intended to prove cause-and-effect, but rather to uncover connections. "Nevertheless, when these associations are strong, dose-dependent, difficult to dismiss, and linked to plausible mechanisms, it may be possible to infer cause-and-effect."
Shot of a vegan meal preparation with lots of vegetables and fruits on a domestic kitchen
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Study shows that this particular plant-based diet can effectively combat diabetes and prevent weight gain. The three studies included only healthy participants under 65 years old with no preexisting chronic conditions, and weight changes were self-reported every four years.
The study found that low-carb diets focusing on healthy plant-based foods were linked to less weight gain, while those emphasizing animal-sourced proteins, fats, or refined carbohydrates were linked to more weight gain. These associations were more significant among younger, heavier, and less active individuals. Overall, the study concluded that adopting a low-carb diet in general did not result in lasting weight loss over a 4-year span, but adopting a plant-based and/or high-quality low-carb diet was associated with sustained weight loss, according to Katz.
The study emphasized the importance of food quality in any diet, according to Sun, the director of the Nutritional Biomarker Laboratory at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He recommends choosing a diet that prioritizes fresh fruits, non-starchy vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, olive oil, vegetable oils, coffee, tea, water, moderate red wine (if consuming alcohol), low sodium, and other healthy ingredients.
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