Macro partitioning
A 12-month healthy low-carbohydrate diet and a healthy low-fat diet produce statistically equivalent weight loss in overweight adults, with no significant difference between the two approaches.
For overweight adults, both a healthy low-fat diet and a healthy low-carbohydrate diet lead to similar weight loss over 12 months. The specific macronutrient ratio matters less than the quality of food (whole foods, minimal processing) and the ability to adhere to the diet long-term. You do not need genetic testing or insulin measurements to choose between them; pick the one you can sustain.
In this 12-month weight loss diet study, there was no significant difference in weight change between a healthy low-fat diet vs a healthy low-carbohydrate diet... Weight change at 12 months was −5.3 kg for the HLF diet vs −6.0 kg for the HLC diet (mean between-group difference, 0.7 kg [95% CI, −0.2 to 1.6 kg]).
Why this rating
Large sample size (n=609), randomized clinical trial design, 12-month duration, and rigorous statistical analysis.
Source
Effect of Low-Fat vs Low-Carbohydrate Diet on 12-Month Weight Loss in Overweight Adults and the Association With Genotype Pattern or Insulin Secretion
Christopher D. Gardner et al. · JAMA · 2018
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