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10.1.4 Article Content
Content Item of a news article. The Content of the article. Rich text area allowing for all standard Word Like typography definitions. (Primary Level Item)
Example
Quality counts. And this may be especially true when it comes to what you eat.
When talking about diets these days, a lot of discussion seems to come down to carbohydrates vs. fats. Is eating fewer carbohydrates or less fat better for your health? To help shed light on this debate, a study recently published in JAMA Internal Medicine focused on how low-carbohydrate diets and low-fat diets are linked to deaths.
Study authors found that healthy low-carb diets and healthy low-fat diets were associated with decreased mortality. A healthy low-carb diet limited low-quality carbs—refined and added sugars—while incorporating more plant protein and unsaturated fat. A healthy low-fat diet had limited saturated fat and included plant protein and more high-quality carbs—whole grains, non-starchy vegetables, whole fruits.
"Our study extended the previous evidence and suggests that the health benefits of [a low-carbohydrate diet] or [low-fat diet] may depend not only on the types of protein and fat or carbohydrate but also on the quality of carbohydrate or fat remaining in the diet," the authors state.
In a similar way, unhealthy low-carb and unhealthy low-fat diets were linked to increased mortality. Low-carb and low-fat diets overall were not associated with total mortality, according to the study.
Researchers examined information about the dietary intake of 37,233 adults (20 years old or older) reported to the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2014. The average age of the group was 50, and more than half were women. When conducting the analysis, they adjusted for factors including age, sex, race or ethnicity, as well as educational level, family income, smoking, and family history of diabetes, heart disease or cancer.
What is at work with low-quality diets and mortality? The authors suggest that diets high in saturated fat lead to overeating and obesity. Saturated fats are tasty to many people but have a low-satiety effect. In terms of low-quality carbs, refined grains and added sugars have limited nutritional value but can lead to high blood sugar and insulin in the body after eating, and in turn this can cause inflammation, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia.
It’s important to note that the diets in this study don’t correspond to any specific popular diet. The study broke down a day’s worth of dietary intake in terms of percentage of energy from fat, protein and carbohydrates. Interestingly, a moderate low-carb diet still has about 40% of energy coming from carbs, and a low-fat diet still has about 30% energy from fat (20% for a very low-fat diet), according to authors.
Participants reported what they ate based on their memory, which could mean food intake was underreported or overreported. Another significant limitation: People were designated as eating a low-carb or low-fat diet based on an initial assessment. However, over time people may change the way they eat, so information about dietary intake may have been misclassified. Finally, as with other nutritional studies, this was based on observations, and therefore no conclusions about causes could be determined.
Low-fat diets have beenrecommended since the late 1970s to prevent chronic diseases. But recent research about the links between total fat intake and health outcomes have been inconsistent, the authors write. Meanwhile, low-carb diets have become a popular way to lose weight, but the long-term health effects of those diets remain unclear. This issue is more complex than looking just at fats or carbohydrates or proteins. More research is needed into the types of food as well as the quality of each component in a healthy diet.
This study strengthens the idea that the quality of food you eat matters to your overall health. Whatever eating pattern you follow, it’s a good idea to eat quality carbs and fats. That means avoiding refined carbohydrates, added sugars, and saturated fats. Instead, focus on whole grains, non-starchy vegetables, whole fruits, and unsaturated fats.
<div class="br-b_1 br_secondary-2 br_solid p-b_3 m-b_2 lh_4">
<img class="br_2 br_radius br_solid br_white-5 float_left m-b_4 m-r_5 max-w_10 max-w_25:lg shadow_bevel-light w-grid_4" src="https://picsum.photos/400" alt="">
<p>
Quality counts. And this may be especially true
when it comes to what you eat.
</p>
<p>
When talking about diets these days, a lot of
discussion seems to come down to carbohydrates vs.
fats. Is eating fewer carbohydrates or less fat
better for your health? To help shed light on this
debate, a
<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2759134" class="link c_secondary-n2">study recently published in
<em>JAMA Internal Medicine</em></a>
focused on how low-carbohydrate diets and low-fat
diets are linked to deaths.
</p>
<p>
Study authors found that healthy low-carb diets and
healthy low-fat diets were associated with decreased
mortality. A healthy low-carb diet limited
low-quality carbs—refined and added sugars—while
incorporating more plant protein and unsaturated
fat. A healthy low-fat diet had limited saturated
fat and included plant protein and more high-quality
carbs—whole grains, non-starchy vegetables, whole
fruits.
</p>
<p>
"Our study extended the previous evidence and
suggests that the health benefits of [a
low-carbohydrate diet] or [low-fat diet] may depend
not only on the types of protein and fat or
carbohydrate but also on the quality of carbohydrate
or fat remaining in the diet," the authors state.
</p>
<p>
In a similar way, unhealthy low-carb and unhealthy
low-fat diets were linked to increased mortality.
Low-carb and low-fat diets overall were not
associated with total mortality, according to the
study. </span>
</p>
<p>
Researchers examined information about the dietary
intake of 37,233 adults (20 years old or older)
reported to the U.S. National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey from 1999 to 2014. The average
age of the group was 50, and more than half were
women. When conducting the analysis, they adjusted
for factors including age, sex, race or ethnicity,
as well as educational level, family income,
smoking, and family history of diabetes, heart
disease or cancer.
</p>
<p>
What is at work with low-quality diets and
mortality? The authors suggest that diets high in
saturated fat lead to overeating and obesity.
Saturated fats are tasty to many people but have a
low-satiety effect. In terms of low-quality carbs,
refined grains and added sugars have limited
nutritional value but can lead to high blood sugar
and insulin in the body after eating, and in turn
this can cause inflammation, insulin resistance, and
dyslipidemia.
</p>
<p>
It’s important to note that the diets in this study
don’t correspond to any specific popular diet. The
study broke down a day’s worth of dietary intake in
terms of percentage of energy from fat, protein and
carbohydrates. Interestingly, a moderate low-carb
diet still has about 40% of energy coming from
carbs, and a low-fat diet still has about 30% energy
from fat (20% for a very low-fat diet), according to
authors.
</p>
<p>
Participants reported what they ate based on their
memory, which could mean food intake was
underreported or overreported. Another significant
limitation: People were designated as eating a
low-carb or low-fat diet based on an initial
assessment. However, over time people may change the
way they eat, so information about dietary intake
may have been misclassified. Finally, as with other
nutritional studies, this was based on observations,
and therefore no conclusions about causes could be
determined.
</p>
<p>
Low-fat diets have been<a href="https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/report/HTML/G5_History.htm" class="link c_secondary-n2">recommended since the late 1970s</a>
to prevent chronic diseases. But recent research
about the links between total fat intake and health
outcomes have been inconsistent, the authors write.
Meanwhile, low-carb diets have become a popular way
to lose weight, but the long-term health effects of
those diets remain unclear. This issue is more
complex than looking just at fats or carbohydrates
or proteins. More research is needed into the types
of food as well as the quality of each component in
a healthy diet.
</p>
<p>
This study strengthens the idea that the quality of
food you eat matters to your overall health.
Whatever eating pattern you follow, it’s a good idea
to eat quality carbs and fats. That means avoiding
refined carbohydrates, added sugars, and saturated
fats. Instead, focus on whole grains, non-starchy
vegetables, whole fruits, and unsaturated
fats.
</p>
</div>