Energy balance
A low-carbohydrate diet (20-30% carbohydrates) produces significantly greater short-term weight loss (1 month) compared to balanced dietary guidance or pharmacotherapy (semaglutide/metformin) in individuals with overweight or obesity, but this advantage disappears by 3 months.
If you choose a low-carb diet, expect faster results in the first month, but do not assume it will keep working better than other diets after 3 months. The initial advantage likely comes from reduced calorie intake due to diet simplicity, not magic. For long-term success, focus on adherence and sustainable habits rather than just macronutrient ratios.
At 1 month, Kruskal–Wallis H test revealed that patients who received the low-carbohydrate diet achieved a percentage weight loss of 5.26 (3.90, 6.70)) % compared with a percentage weight loss of 3.95 (2.53, 5.68) % and 3.72 (2.34, 5.97) % for patients receiving balanced dietary guidance and pharmacotherapy (P < 0.001)... At 3 months, there was no significant differences among groups for the percentage of weight loss (P = 0.362).
Why this rating
Retrospective observational study with self-selection bias and small sample size for long-term follow-up.
Source
Comparison of weight loss induced by dietary and pharmaceuticals in individuals with overweight and obesity: a retrospective study
Lei-lei Wang et al. · British Journal Of Nutrition · 2024
DOI 10.1017/s0007114524002629
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