2009 Studies & Research Blog

If there’s something all dieters thought they knew for certain, it was that carbohydrates are their sworn enemy during the attempt to shed excess weight. Whether the dieting approach is a Ketogenic Diet, an Atkins Diet, or even the Fish and Ricecakes diet, one thing tends to stay the same with most fat-loss approaches - carbohydrate consumption is kept at a minimum. The charge is that carbohydrate intake creates a large insulin response, eventually leading to fat storage. Additionally, many experts have suggested that certain carbohydrates trigger hunger rather than satisfy it, leading to snacking or overeating later on. Because of these beliefs, eschewing carbohydrates in favor of healthy fats and protein has become a very popular option.

But what if everything you thought you knew about carbohydrate intake and its relationship to fat gain was wrong? Could it be possible that a high-carbohydrate approach might actually be better for staying in shape? A recent study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association suggests that this may be the case.

The study, conducted with participants 18 and older, was quite comprehensive, compiling dietary data on 4,451 participants. In addition to compiling data on BMI and food intake, the researchers adjusted the data for total energy intake, age, leisure time energy expenditure, sex, smoking, education, and income adequacy.

Despite the popular dogma involving carbohydrate intake and obesity, the results showed that those with higher carbohydrate intakes - with carbohydrates composing between 47 percent and 64 percent of total calories - had the lowest risk of obesity. If this was not surprising enough of a finding, the research also indicated that those consuming the lowest carbohydrate-containing diets were significantly more likely to be obese. It seemed that even with higher carbohydrate intake, the higher-carb groups consumed fewer calories, while the group consuming the fewest carbohydrates still managed to consume more calories than they expended.

The researchers addressed the low-carb diet craze, noting that while "low-carbohydrate diets are more effective at inducing weight loss in the short-term (6 months) than high-carbohydrate diets, but there is no difference in their efficacy at the end of 1 year."

The study also delved into a few of the specific food choices made by the participants, and found that the higher-carbohydrate group ate more fiber, fruit and vegetables. Additionally, this group consumed less saturated fat and also exercised more than those consuming a lower amount of carbohydrates.

The most important factor in a diet, though, is whether it is doable for you. No matter what any study says, the nutritional plan that fits your lifestyle is the one that makes the most sense and will be most conducive to success, whatever your goals may be.

SOURCE:

Merchant, Anwar T., et al. Carbohydrate Intake and Overweight and Obesity among Healthy Adults. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 2009; 109(7): 451-459.