Macro partitioning
A 2-year low-carbohydrate diet produces greater weight loss and superior lipid profile improvements compared to a low-fat diet, while a Mediterranean diet offers superior glycemic control for individuals with type 2 diabetes.
If you struggle with weight loss on low-fat diets, try restricting carbohydrates. A low-carb approach (starting at 20g/day and moving to 120g/day) led to nearly double the weight loss of a standard low-fat diet in this 2-year study, along with better improvements in cholesterol ratios. If you have diabetes, a Mediterranean diet may offer better blood sugar control.
The mean weight loss was 2.9 kg for the low-fat group, 4.4 kg for the Mediterranean-diet group, and 4.7 kg for the low-carbohydrate group... The relative reduction in the ratio of total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was 20% in the low-carbohydrate group and 12% in the low-fat group... Among the 36 subjects with diabetes, changes in fasting plasma glucose and insulin levels were more favorable among those assigned to the Mediterranean diet than among those assigned to the low-fat diet
Why this rating
Randomized controlled trial with high adherence (84.6% at 2 years) and long duration.
Source
Weight Loss with a Low-Carbohydrate, Mediterranean, or Low-Fat Diet
Iris Shai et al. · New England Journal of Medicine · 2008
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