Browse the evidence

A ketogenic diet (defined as <50g carbohydrates/day) significantly improves body weight, waist circumference, HbA1c, triglycerides, and HDL levels in overweight patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus compared to other dietary interventions.

For overweight individuals with Type 2 Diabetes, adopting a ketogenic diet (under 50g carbs daily) is a highly effective strategy for losing weight and improving blood sugar control. This approach also tends to improve heart health markers like HDL and triglycerides, addressing common concerns about high-fat diets. Consult a doctor to manage medications, as blood sugar levels may drop significantly.

High-protein diets (25-30% energy) improve satiety and short-term weight loss compared to standard protein diets, but long-term efficacy is comparable to other energy-restricted diets.

Increasing protein to 25-30% of your calories can help you feel fuller and lose weight faster in the first few months. This is likely because protein reduces hunger. However, for long-term success, you still need to manage your total calories, as high protein alone does not guarantee better maintenance than other diets.

Adhering to a low-fat, plant-based, high-carbohydrate diet for 16 weeks significantly reduces body weight, fat mass, and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in overweight individuals compared to maintaining a habitual diet.

To lose weight and improve insulin sensitivity, try a low-fat vegan diet for 16 weeks. Focus on vegetables, grains, legumes, and fruits. Keep fat intake low (20-30g per day) by avoiding added oils and animal products. You do not need to count calories or restrict carbohydrates; in fact, higher carbohydrate intake in this context is linked to greater weight loss. Attend weekly cooking classes if available to learn how to prepare these meals.

Increased intake of total and insoluble fiber, as part of a plant-based diet, is negatively correlated with reductions in BMI, fat mass, and visceral fat volume.

Increase your intake of total and insoluble fiber by eating more whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits. This is associated with greater reductions in body fat and visceral fat. Ensure you drink enough water to help your digestive system adjust to the higher fiber intake.

Increasing dietary protein to 20-30% of calories (at the expense of carbohydrates) increases satiety and induces spontaneous weight loss, particularly beneficial for patients with metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes.

If you struggle with hunger or have metabolic issues, try increasing your protein intake to 20-30% of your daily calories. Replace some carbohydrates and fats with lean protein sources like chicken, fish, or low-fat dairy. This can help you feel fuller and lose weight without strict calorie counting.

A ketogenic diet (KD) significantly reduces body weight, BMI, fat mass, waist circumference, visceral adipose tissue, and percentage body fat compared to low-fat diets in adults, but also causes a small reduction in fat-free and lean body mass.

Adopting a ketogenic diet (high fat, very low carb) for 2-96 weeks leads to significant weight loss, reduced body fat, and improved waist circumference compared to low-fat diets. However, be aware that you may also lose a small amount of lean muscle mass (-0.63 kg). This diet is effective for body recomposition in adults, but long-term adherence can be challenging.

A high-protein/low-carbohydrate (HP) diet provides superior metabolic improvement (glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, lipids) compared to a standard hypocaloric diet, regardless of FTO genotype.

If you are obese and have the FTO variant, switching to a high-protein, lower-carbohydrate diet (approx. 33% carbs) will improve your blood sugar and cholesterol markers more effectively than a standard low-calorie diet, even if the total weight loss is similar.

A 6-month low-calorie, high-protein diet (35% of total calories from protein) improves glucose metabolism, body composition, and cardiometabolic profiles in subjects with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes and overweight/obesity, regardless of whether the protein source is primarily animal or plant-based.

If you have prediabetes or type 2 diabetes and are overweight, switching to a diet where 35% of your calories come from protein (whether from meat, fish, eggs, beans, nuts, or soy) and restricting your total calories by 30% can significantly improve your blood sugar, weight, and heart health markers. It does not matter if you choose animal or plant proteins; the key is the high-protein, low-calorie pattern itself. Stick to this for at least 6 months for best results.

High-protein isocaloric diets (HPD) preserve or increase muscle mass during weight loss, whereas very low-energy diets (VLED) significantly decrease muscle mass.

If you are losing weight, ensure your protein intake is high (around 1.8g per kg of body weight). This helps you keep your muscle while losing fat. Very low-calorie diets without high protein will cause you to lose muscle mass.

Ketogenic diets (KD) significantly reduce waist circumference compared to other dietary interventions, indicating superior reduction in central adiposity.

If you want to specifically target belly fat (waist circumference), a ketogenic diet (very low carb, high fat) is effective. It significantly reduces waist size compared to other diets, even when calories are not restricted.

Isocaloric diets with macronutrient distribution (LCD, KD, HPD) result in greater weight loss than caloric restriction diets (LED, VLED) in obese women over 12 weeks.

You can lose weight without counting calories if you focus on macronutrients. Diets that adjust carbs, protein, or fat ratios (like Keto, Low-Carb, or High-Protein) can lead to greater weight loss than simple calorie restriction over 12 weeks.

Very Low-Calorie Ketogenic Diet (VLCKD) produces superior weight loss compared to low-carbohydrate diets and is recommended for severe obesity and specific metabolic conditions.

VLCKD is a very strict, low-calorie (<800 kcal) ketogenic diet that produces superior weight loss compared to standard low-carb diets. It is recommended for severe obesity and specific metabolic conditions under medical supervision. It is not suitable for everyone and has strict contraindications.

The superiority of low-carbohydrate diets for weight loss and body fat percentage reduction is most pronounced in subgroups with longer follow-up (≥6 months), younger age (<60 years), and very low carbohydrate intake (<10% carbs).

To maximize weight loss benefits from a low-carb diet, aim for very low carbohydrate intake (<10% of calories) and maintain the diet for at least 6 months. This approach is particularly effective for individuals under 60 years of age.

Caloric Restriction (CR) is more effective for weight loss than low-fat diets without caloric restriction, and low-carbohydrate diets are more effective than low-fat diets regardless of caloric restriction.

If you are restricting calories, choose a low-carbohydrate or Mediterranean diet rather than a low-fat diet for better weight loss results.

A healthy diet emphasizing vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains, and fish, while minimizing processed meats, refined carbohydrates, and sweetened beverages, decreases ASCVD risk factors.

Fill your plate with vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, whole grains, and fish. Try to cut back on processed meats, sugary drinks, and refined carbs like white bread. This pattern helps lower your risk of heart disease without needing to count calories strictly.

Adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet significantly reduces the rate of cardiovascular complications (recurrent myocardial infarction and cardiac death) in patients recovering from a first myocardial infarction compared to a prudent Western-type diet.

If you have had a heart attack, switching to a Mediterranean-style diet (high in plant fats like olive/flax oil, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; low in saturated fats) can significantly reduce your risk of another heart event or death. This diet is effective even when combined with standard medications like aspirin. Success requires professional guidance and family support to maintain adherence over the long term.

Adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet is inversely associated with the cumulative incidence of Metabolic Syndrome and improves metabolic parameters.

Adopt a Mediterranean-style diet: eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains. Choose healthy fats (olive oil/nuts) over saturated fats. Limit meat and dairy. This pattern reduces the risk of developing Metabolic Syndrome.

Adherence to the Mediterranean Dietary Pattern (MDP), characterized by high plant-based food intake, olive oil as the primary lipid source, and moderate fish/poultry consumption, reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and certain cancers.

Adopt the Mediterranean Dietary Pattern by making plant-based foods (vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds) the foundation of your meals, using olive oil as your main fat source, and consuming fish, poultry, and dairy in moderation. Limit red and processed meats and sweets. Complement this with regular moderate physical activity (30+ minutes daily), adequate rest, and social connection during meals. Adjust portion sizes to match your energy needs, prioritizing frugality to manage weight.

Consuming 2 or more servings of fish per week, or supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA or ALA), significantly reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, particularly sudden cardiac death and fatal CHD.

Eat fish at least twice a week. This habit is linked to a 30% lower risk of heart disease. If you don't eat fish, consider fish oil supplements, especially if you have existing heart conditions, as they can reduce sudden cardiac death.

Replacing dietary saturated fat with monounsaturated fats lowers cardiovascular disease risk, although the evidence is stronger for polyunsaturated fats.

You can improve heart health by replacing saturated fats with either polyunsaturated oils (corn, soybean) or monounsaturated fats (olive oil, avocados, nuts). Polyunsaturated fats have more direct trial evidence, but both are beneficial.

Dietary patterns rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and fish are associated with lower circulating concentrations of inflammatory markers, while saturated fats, trans fats, and high glycemic loads promote inflammation.

To reduce inflammation, prioritize whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and fish. Limit saturated and trans fats, and manage carbohydrate quality to avoid high glycemic spikes. This dietary pattern directly lowers inflammatory markers associated with obesity and metabolic disease.

Low-fat diets are associated with continuing weight loss for up to 3 years, prevention of type 2 diabetes, and improved control of hypertension.

Adopting a low-fat diet, potentially with a 600 kcal/day deficit, can help you lose about 5.3 kg in the first year and continue losing weight for up to 3 years, while helping prevent type 2 diabetes and control hypertension.

High intake of trans fatty acids (partially hydrogenated vegetable fats) increases the risk of coronary heart disease by lowering HDL and raising LDL and lipoprotein(a).

Avoid foods made with 'partially hydrogenated oils' on the ingredient list. These trans fats are particularly harmful to heart health because they lower good cholesterol and raise bad cholesterol. Choose whole foods and minimally processed oils instead.

A carbohydrate intake of 45-60% of total energy (E%) is sufficient to meet metabolic needs and prevent ketosis in adults and children over one year, provided fat and protein intakes are balanced.

Aim for 45-60% of your daily calories from carbohydrates. This range supports metabolic health and prevents ketosis. Ensure you are also reducing saturated fats to maximize benefits.