Research
Macro partitioning
Low carbohydrate and low fat diets produce similar long-term weight loss outcomes, with differences largely explained by adherence and individual metabolic status (e.g., insulin resistance).
Don't obsess over whether to cut carbs or fat. Both work if you stick with them. If you have diabetes or insulin resistance, lower carbs might be easier and better for your health markers. Otherwise, choose the diet that fits your lifestyle and allows you to eat less without constant hunger.
GoodQualifiesMEDIUM confidence
longer term studies show better weight loss outcomes for both low carbohydrate and low fat diets when compared with habitual diet, with little difference between the two in weight and body fat loss.
Why this rating
Based on meta-analyses and RCTs cited.
Source
Making progress on the global crisis of obesity and weight management
Michael E. J. Lean et al. · BMJ · 2018
DOI 10.1136/bmj.k2538
narrative_reviewCited 72×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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