Cut Carbs, Lose Weight: DIRECT Study Results

Is weight loss the same as gaining health?

Now, weight loss is not necessarily the same as reducing risk for heart disease, diabetes, or other illnesses.

However, it’s darn close.

While no program of prevention should be based on weight loss alone, excess weight has grown to be such an enormous problem nationwide that, by itself, has been related to numerous conditions, it is still of value to know what method is most likely to yield success in this important aspect of health. Judging by the results of this study, when added to the existing several studies asking similar questions, it appears that we should be seriously considering low-carb and/or Mediterranean approaches to most effectively lose weight, as well as derive the maximum triglyceride-reducing, inflammation-reducing, and diabetes-preventing effects.

Are the data sufficient for “official” organizations like the American Heart Association or American Diabetes Association to sit up and take notice? Will they begin to modify the diets they’ve advised for the last 10 years?

They will likely notice. It may even trigger some interesting internal conversations on just how to diplomatically change course, after advocating low-fat diets for all this time.

My feeling is that the longer they wait the more wrong they will appear. In my view, sufficient data are now available, made more confident by this very cleanly-performed study. Take a look around you, and it is clear that a major change in the course of the nationwide diet conversation needs to occur. The low-fat concept for many of us has long been dead, having witnessed countless instances of enormous weight gain, pre-diabetes, diabetes and other health complications of people on presumably healthy low-fat diets.

Sure, the major food manufacturers will have to scramble to accommodate replacing all those low-fat products that may rot on the shelves in future. But Americans will very likely benefit with better health─less heart disease, less cancer, less diabetes. 

More from Dr. Davis:

Heart Disease Diet: Do You Have a Wheat Belly?

Lipoprotein Testing: Why its So Important and Where You Can Get it Done

What is a "Good" Cholesterol Level?