Low carb diet can make you live for fewer years, shows study

Low carb diet for weight loss may reduce your life expectancy and put you at several health risk, says study.

By: Sreemoyee Chatterjee | | Published: August 19, 2018 10:26 am

Why it isn't a good idea to cut down on carbs without proper instructions from doctors? © Shutterstock

Avoiding a high carb diet for losing extra pounds can put you at several health risk, showed a new study. In fact, going for a low carb diet can lower life expectancy, the study suggested, according to a recent media report by CBC News.

Dr Sara Seidelmman, lead author of the study and a clinical and research fellow at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, reportedly said: “Low-carb diets that replace carbohydrates with protein or fat are gaining widespread popularity as a health and weight-loss strategy. However, our data suggests that animal-based low carbohydrate diets, which are prevalent in North America and Europe, might be associated with shorter overall life span and should be discouraged.”

This study published in the Lancet Public Health journal highlighted that those who got less than 40% of their calories from carbohydrates may have a chance of living for fewer years compared to those who had a diet with moderate amount of carbohydrates (50 to 55% of total calories).

The study has also shown that eating too much carbohydrate is not too healthy. Those who obtain over 70% of their calories from carbohydrates can expect one-year shorter life expectancy than moderate carb eaters.

Andrew Mente, a nutrition epidemiologist at McMaster University in Hamilton, who reviewed the study, reportedly said: “For weight loss, certainly lower carbohydrate diets have been shown to be beneficial. However, the long-term effects are not as well known. And so, we can get hints from studies like this as to what the long-term effects are.”

“Focusing on a more moderate diet and avoiding very low carb, just like avoiding very high carb, would be the most appropriate,” he added.

However, replacing these carbohydrates with appropriate food can chuck off the disadvantages of not having adequate carbohydrate, suggested the same study. It showed that those who ate less carbs but more protein and fat from animal sources are at a greater mortality risk than those who take plant derived protein and fat.

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Published : August 19, 2018 10:26 am

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