Low-carbohydrate and balanced-carbohydrate weight-reducing diets produce little to no difference in average weight loss over one to two years in overweight and obese adults with type 2 diabetes, with a mean difference of 0.33 kg (95% CI: -2.13 to 1.46) based on 7 randomized trials involving 813 participants, indicating neither diet is superior for long-term weight reduction in this population.

When people eat fewer carbohydrates, they naturally eat less food because they feel less hungry, and when they eat a balanced amount of carbohydrates, they also eat less food for the same reason. In both cases, the total calories consumed drop enough to cause weight loss, and the body burns fat for energy whether carbs are low or balanced. The amount of weight lost ends up being nearly the same because the total energy deficit is what matters, not the type of food.