Research
Energy balance
Dietary composition, particularly high carbohydrate intake, can reduce post-weight-loss metabolic expenditure by approximately 200 kcal/day compared to higher fat intakes, contributing to weight regain.
After weight loss, be mindful of high-carbohydrate diets, especially if you have insulin resistance. Higher fat or lower carbohydrate intakes may help preserve metabolic rate, making it easier to maintain your weight.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
For instance, compared with dietary fats, higher amounts and processing of carbohydrates can reduce metabolic expenditure after weight loss by ~200 kcal/d, with even larger effects among individuals with elevated carbohydrate-stimulated insulin secretion.
Why this rating
Cites a specific randomized trial (Ebbeling et al., 2018) showing a quantifiable difference in energy expenditure.
Source
Perspective: Obesity—an unexplained epidemic
Dariush Mozaffarian · American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · 2022
DOI 10.1093/ajcn/nqac075
narrative_reviewCited 104×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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