Eating a diet which is low in carbohydrates could knock years off lifespan, a 25 year study suggests.

Food plans which replace carbs with protein and fat, such as the Ketogenic or Atkins, have gained popularity in recent years, and are often endorsed by celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Kim Kardashian

But new research which has followed 15,400 people since the 1980s found those with low carb diets died an average of four years earlier than those who had moderate intakes.

Even people who had high intakes were better off than those who drastically cut out carbohydrates.

“Low-carb diets that replace carbohydrates with protein or fat are gaining widespread popularity as a health and weight loss strategy,” said study leader Dr Sara Seidelmann, Clinical and Research Fellow in Cardiovascular Medicine from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston.

“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.

“Instead, if one chooses to follow a low carbohydrate diet, then exchanging carbohydrates for more plant-based fats and proteins might actually promote healthy ageing in the long term.”