New research offers yet more evidence that veggies, whole grains and low-fat dairy products are good for you in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Our study goes beyond the simple question of, ‘To carb or not to carb?'” said lead study author Binkai Liu<\/a>, a research assistant in the nutrition department at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “It dissects the low-carbohydrate diet and provides a nuanced look at how the composition of these diets can affect health over years, not just weeks or months,” Liu explained in a Harvard news release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The key takeaway: Not all low-carb diets are the same when it comes to managing weight over the long haul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the study, researchers analyzed data from more than 123,000 healthy adults who were part of major research studies between 1986 and 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Participants reported on their diets and weights every four years, and they were scored based on adherence to five types of low-carb diet. They included ones based on animal proteins, plant-based proteins and ones that emphasized animal proteins, unhealthy fats and processed grains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Low-carb regimens high in proteins, fats and carbs from healthy, plant-based sources were linked to slower long-term weight gain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Participants who stuck with total low-carb or animal-based eating regimens gained more weight, on average, than those who followed a healthy low-carb eating plan over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These links were strongest for participants who were overweight or obese, younger than 55 and\/or less physical active, the study found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The findings were published Wednesday in the journal JAMA Network Open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Our findings could shake up the way we think about popular low-carbohydrate diets and suggest that public health initiatives should continue to promote dietary patterns that emphasize healthful foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products,” said senior study author Dr. Qi Sun<\/a>, an associate professor of nutrition at Harvard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n