-Diablo's Journal, 03 December 2019

The forest plot below is adapted from a 2017 systematic review and meta-analysis by Kevin Hall and Juen Guo. ⁣ ⁣ They compared the effects of calorie-matched diets differing only in their carb and fat intake. ⁣ ⁣ The researchers included only those studies where subjects were provided with all of their food during the study duration while excluding all studies where subjects were provided with food menus or instructions on how to adhere to the diet. ⁣ ⁣ This ensured any dietary nonadherence that could affect the results was minimised (basically, the researchers didn’t fuck around).⁣ ⁣ They found 32 studies with 563 subjects with dietary carbs ranging from 1%–83% and dietary fat ranging from 4%–84% of total calories.⁣ ⁣ The result? ⁣ ⁣ The lower fat diets resulted in a pooled weighted mean difference of 16g/d greater body fat loss (represented by the red diamond in the image). ⁣ ⁣ ‘These results are in the opposite direction to the predictions of the carbohydrate-insulin model,’ researchers concluded. ⁣ ⁣ And before a low-carb fanatic points out the obvious, the researchers did emphasise ‘the effect sizes are so small as to be physiologically meaningless.’ ⁣ ⁣ Meaning: once calories are matched, there isn’t a real difference between low-carb or low-fat diets. ⁣ ⁣ --------------⁣ ⁣ So instead of worrying about cutting carbs and insulin, focus on eating in a way you enjoy. If that means low-carb, great. But if you enjoy eating carbs, then you definitely don’t need to cut them out. ⁣ ⁣ Your ability to stick to a way of eating for the long-term is going to trump every other factor. ⁣ 

I love this! I love my carbs! There is absolutely no way that I would not have binged back every pound and then some just like every single other time I tried to "eat clean and Low carb" Gross- just the thought. I love you for finally convincing me and I love new me! (Guess I'm chatty) Have fun at work!  

Love you too. The more people know this, the higher the chances that more and more people will get to and maintain their goals. When you're not fighting your diet, you have more energy for other aspects of your life. Especially lifting! :D 

You need to love the food you’re eating and not feel deprived to stick with it. 👌 

Thanks for sharing this interesting info! I guess it basically points to the need to find the balance of macronutrients, micronutrients and calories that fit for each person's lifestyle. 

Yep, and the easiest way to find the food you love and can stick with is the knowledge that you can select anything. You're welcome, ripsic. 

good grief, I wrote a cookbook about that very thing years ago. I post my recipes on WP and here. SMH took a research team to figure this out?  

These are compiled studies to prove there is no difference in a low carb or low fat diet. You haven't seen the insulin hypothesis of obesity over and over around here? 

Balance to keep full. More fiber, more protein, less fat. So simple to switch up foods. Like, who is going to really going to without noodles esp if they are Italian? I just switched from regular to whole wheat noodles. I barely count calories, I haven't given up cake, pie, bread - just found a way to make it healthy and tasty includinug pizza. Lasagna. Fettucine alfredo. Name a food and I can tweak it.  

Interesting study but not surprising. Thanks for posting 

Indexed journals citations, that's how you hook my attention! 👏🏻