Eating fewer carbs and more fat—without counting calories—can help people lose about as much weight as eating less fat and cutting calories. This suggests that what you eat might matter just as much as how much you eat.

0

Pro

46

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (0)

0

Community contributions welcome

No supporting evidence found

Contradicting (1)

46

Community contributions welcome

46

Greater Loss of Central Adiposity from Low-Carbohydrate versus Low-Fat Diet in Middle-Aged Adults with Overweight and Obesity

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2021 Jan 31

The study looked at two diets in overweight middle-aged adults, but it didn’t measure total weight loss—only belly fat—so we can’t say if the diets caused the same overall weight loss as the claim says.

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Greater Loss of Central Adiposity from Low-Carbohydrate versus Low-Fat Diet in Middle-Aged Adults with Overweight and Obesity

Score: 46

DOI: 10.3390/nu13020475

Similar Assertions

For middle-aged people with extra weight, cutting carbs a lot might burn more belly fat — especially the dangerous kind around organs — even if you lose the same total weight as someone on a low-fat diet.

46

0

83%

If you're a middle-aged adult with extra weight, eating either a low-carb high-fat diet or a low-fat diet with fewer calories can help you keep your muscle while losing weight over about 4 months.

0

46

82%

Whether you cut fat or carbs, if you eat the same number of calories, you’ll lose about the same amount of weight.

1

0

80%

If you're overweight and eat fewer carbs instead of less fat for four weeks, you might lose more body fat—even if you lose the same amount of total weight as someone on a low-fat diet.

0

55

80%

If you're overweight and eat fewer carbs instead of less fat for four weeks—without counting calories—you might lose about 8 pounds more than someone on a low-fat diet, and it might be because you're losing more body fat.

0

55

79%