The Study
Low‐carbohydrate versus balanced‐carbohydrate diets for reducing weight and cardiovascular risk
This study looked at lots of different experiments where people were randomly assigned to eat either low-carb or balanced-carb diets to lose weight. It found that, on average, both diets helped people lose about the same amount of weight. But it doesn't prove one diet is better than the other — it just shows they're pretty similar.
Analysis score
Maximum 100 for a systematic review with meta-analysis.
Where the score came from
Scientists looked at 61 studies where people tried either low-carb diets or regular balanced-carb diets to lose weight.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 576 / 100
Quality score
The highest quality evidence. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses that pool randomized controlled trials, giving the most reliable summary of experimental evidence.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Losing 1 kg more isn’t meaningful for health — it’s like the natural weight swing you get from drinking more water or eating salty food.
- 2People lost about the same amount of weight on both diets — around 1 kg more on low-carb diets, but that’s less than a bag of sugar.
- 3Blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar also changed almost identically.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Year
2022
Authors
C. Naude, Amanda Brand, A. Schoonees, K. Nguyen, Marty Chaplin, J. Volmink
Related Content
Claims (6)
When people consume the same number of calories, changing the proportion of carbs and fats in their diet does not change how much fat or weight they lose.
Over a period of three to eight and a half months, overweight and obese adults without type 2 diabetes lose similar amounts of weight on low-carbohydrate diets and balanced-carbohydrate diets.
Over one to two years, adults who are overweight or obese and do not have type 2 diabetes lose the same amount of weight on a low-carbohydrate diet as they do on a balanced-carbohydrate diet.
Over three to six months, overweight and obese adults with type 2 diabetes lose similar amounts of weight on low-carbohydrate diets and balanced-carbohydrate diets.
Over one to two years, overweight and obese adults with type 2 diabetes lose similar amounts of weight on low-carbohydrate diets and balanced-carbohydrate diets, with an average difference of 0.33 kilograms.
Over one to two years, low-carbohydrate and balanced-carbohydrate diets lead to nearly identical changes in diastolic blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, and HbA1c levels in overweight and obese adults, with or without type 2 diabetes.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.