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.
See the scientific wording
In overweight adults, a low-carbohydrate diet implemented over four weeks is associated with greater reductions in body fat percentage compared to a low-fat diet, even when total weight loss is similar between the two diets.
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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.
Evidence from Studies
No evidence studies found yet.
What Would Prove This
Per GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this claim, ordered from strongest to weakest.
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Low-Carbohydrate vs. Low-Fat Diets on Body Fat Percentage in Overweight Adults Over Four Weeks
Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets in overweight adults, with body fat percentage as primary outcome, duration of four weeks.
Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial of Four-Week Low-Carbohydrate vs. Low-Fat Diet on Body Fat Percentage in Overweight Adults
Randomly assigned overweight adults to either a low-carbohydrate or low-fat diet for four weeks, with blinded outcome assessors measuring body fat percentage via DEXA or hydrostatic weighing.
Prospective Cohort Study of Body Fat Changes in Overweight Adults Following Low-Carbohydrate or Low-Fat Diets Over Four Weeks
Prospective observation of overweight adults who self-select into low-carbohydrate or low-fat diets, with body fat percentage measured at baseline and after four weeks, controlling for confounders like activity level.
Case-Control Study Comparing Body Fat Reduction in Overweight Adults Who Achieved Greater Fat Loss on Low-Carb vs. Low-Fat Diets Over Four Weeks
Identifies overweight adults with high body fat reduction (>5%) and low body fat reduction (<1%) after four weeks on either diet, then retrospectively compares diet type exposure.
Cross-Sectional Survey of Body Fat Percentage and Diet Type in Overweight Adults After Four Weeks of Low-Carb or Low-Fat Dieting
Survey of overweight adults who have completed four weeks on either a low-carbohydrate or low-fat diet, measuring current body fat percentage and self-reported diet type.