Despite the wild popularity of low carb diets, a new study shows that obese people on low fat diets were able to keep weight off longer than those adhering to low carb diets. In the study, the low-fat diet included less than 30% of daily calories from fat, while the low-carb diet required less than 30 grams of fat per day.
The study, written by Marion L. Vetter, MD in the "Annals of Internal Medicine," centered around 132 participants averaging 289 pounds each. Every person went on either a low fat or low carb diet for one year, but progress was monitored for three years. The outcome? At six months, the low carb group had lost more weight than the low fat group. But after one year, there was minimal difference between the two groups; the low fat dieters had maintained their weight loss.
Two years after the diets ended, the researchers checked in with 40 people from the low carb group and 48 people from the low fat group. The low carb participants weighed an average of 4.9 pounds less than when they began the diet three years ago. The low fat dieters weighed an average of 9.5 pounds less.
"The differences in weight regain between the two groups probably reflects initial weight loss," Vetter writes. "Participants who lost more weight during the first 12 months tended to regain more weight by month 36."
The study underscores that slow and steady win the race, and a moderate, balanced diet is the best choice of all.
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