A large study concludes that a low intake of carbs raises the risk of premature mortality, as well as mortality from several chronic illnesses. Therefore, scientists urge dieters to avoid low-carb diets. A diet low in carbs may aid weight loss in the short-term, but it may seriously harm health in the long run. Recent estimates have suggested that as many as 45 million people in the United States go on a diet each year. Also, U.S. individuals reportedly spend around $33 billion on weight loss products annually. The two thirds of the population that are either overweight or obese have a plethora of diets to choose from. From low-fat to high-fat, keto diets and intermittent fasting, the fads are numerous — but what are their consequences for our health? A new study focuses on low-carb diets and explores the health risks that are associated with them. Carbohydrates are a major source of energy for most living organisms, so how does a diet low in these molecules impact health? The new research does not offer a causal answer to this question, but it does examine the links between low-carb diets and the risk of premature mortality, as well as mortality from specific chronic diseases. The new study was presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress, held in Munich, Germany, by Prof. Maciej Banach, of the Medical University of Lodz in Poland.

Studying low-carb diets and death risk Prof. Lodz and his colleagues examined the links between low-carb diets and the risk of death from any cause among 24,825 individuals who had participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 1999–2010. Also, the researchers examined the associations between a low carb intake and the risk of death from coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease — which includes stroke — and cancer. On average, the study participants were 47.6 years old, and their carb intake was calculated as a percentage. Then, based on these percentages, the participants were divided into fourths. Prof. Banach and colleagues followed the participants for an average period of 6.4 years. The participants were also classified as obese and non-obese, according to their body mass index (BMI). In the second part of the study, the team examined the same associations in a large meta-analysis of prospective studies that summed up almost 450,000 participants who were followed for an average period of 15.6 years.