Research
Macro partitioning
High-glycemic carbohydrates and added sugars drive obesity and chronic disease risk through hormonal and metabolic mechanisms independent of total caloric intake, whereas calorie-matched low-carbohydrate diets increase energy expenditure compared to low-fat diets.
Focus on reducing added sugars and refined grains (high-glycemic carbohydrates) rather than just counting calories. Prioritize whole foods like proteins, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts, as these appear to support better metabolic health and weight management compared to calorie-matched low-fat diets high in processed carbs.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Contrary to the conventional perspective, recent research has shown that food affects hunger, hormones, and even genetic expression in ways that cannot be explained by consideration of caloric balance alone. For example, energy expenditure decreased by 325 kcal per day among volunteers in a crossover study who consumed a low-fat diet compared with when they consumed a calorie-matched low-carbohydrate diet.
Why this rating
The paper is an opinion/viewpoint citing observational cohort studies and one specific crossover trial; it is not a primary clinical trial itself.
Source
Lifespan Weighed Down by Diet
David S. Ludwig · JAMA · 2016
DOI 10.1001/jama.2016.3829
narrative_reviewCited 56×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
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