I’m having a debate in a Norwegian paper with some official “nutrition experts”. They claimed that weight loss studies do not show any advantage for low carb diets. Unbelievably enough, that is what many so called experts still believe.

It’s either ignorance or science denial.

There are at least thirteen [updated:16] modern high quality trials that have shown significantly better weight loss with low carb diets. Here they are:

Randomized controlled trials showing significantly more weight loss with low carb diets

13-0

The first eleven studies in the list are weight loss trials, the last two are studies on type 2-diabetics (usually overweight) showing the same effect. Many of the studies are of six months or one year duration, one of them (Shai et al) is two years long.

All of these studies show significantly more weight loss for the group that were adviced to eat a low carb diet (Atkins, in most cases).

As far as I know the opposite has never been shown: low carb has never lost a weight loss trial significantly. This means that low carb is winning versus the failed low fat/low calorie advice by 13-0!

Feel free to let me know of any exceptions (or more examples) in the comments.

Update an expert

It’s not OK for “experts” to keep denying all these modern trials. It’s time for them to take the science seriously.

Feel free to copy or link to this list, if you encounter an expert who needs an update.

Update Jul 25, 2011

Another one, making it 14 – 0:

Dyson PA, et al. A low-carbohydrate diet is more effective in reducing body weight than healthy eating in both diabetic and non-diabetic subjects. Diabet Med. 2007 Dec;24(12):1430-5.

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