Background

The carbohydrate-insulin model of obesity hypothesizes that, by increasing insulin-promoting fat storage, refined and high-glycemic carbs are major contributors to people failing to maintain their weight loss. Thus, a low-carb diet might allow for greater weight stability after a period of weight loss.

The study

It was an analysis of a secondary outcome of a previously published randomized trial of 234 overweight participants.[1] It analyzed the estimated caloric requirements of participants on either a low- or high-carb diet during a weight-maintenance period.

The results

The average estimated caloric requirements were about 245 kcal/day higher in the low-carb group than in the high-carb group. However, the interindividual variability was high (43–446 kcal/day in the low-carb group).

Note

Some of the methodology used in the original trial has been hotly contested. We analyzed the original trial in NERD: For weight maintenance, is low-carb king?

Every month we summarize over 150 of the most noteworthy health and nutrition studies. Other health categories related to this summary include:Try Examine+ for free to view the latest research in 25 health categories and the entire Study Summaries archive, access our Supplement Guides, and unlock the Examine Database. Plus, earn continuing education credits!

Get free weekly updates on what’s new at Examine.

This Study Summary was published on September 4, 2020.

References

  1. ^Ebbeling CB, Feldman HA, Klein GL, Wong JMW, Bielak L, Steltz SK, Luoto PK, Wolfe RR, Wong WW, Ludwig DSEffects of a low carbohydrate diet on energy expenditure during weight loss maintenance: randomized trialBMJ.(2018 Nov 14)