Low-fat diet

From WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

(Redirected from High-carbohydrate diet)

USDA's Food Pyramid
New Version of the Food Guide Pyramid

The Low-Fat Diet is a dietary regimen centered on the reduced intake of fats, specifically saturated fats and cholesterol. Originating as a response to the rising concerns of heart disease and obesity, it has been a popular dietary choice for individuals aiming for weight loss or maintenance. The crux of the diet lies in the caloric disparity between fats and other macronutrients, which provides an opportunity to control and reduce overall caloric intake.

Definition[edit | edit source]

A low-fat diet predominantly restricts the consumption of fats, with an additional focus on minimizing saturated fats and cholesterol. The overarching goal of this diet is to mitigate the risk of conditions such as heart disease and obesity, both of which have been correlated with high-fat consumption.

Dietary Composition[edit | edit source]

  • Fat content: Dietary fats offer nine calories per gram, in contrast to carbohydrates and proteins, which each contribute four calories per gram. Consequently, by opting for low-fat food alternatives, an individual can consume a more substantial volume of food while maintaining the same caloric intake.
  • Recommendations: The Institute of Medicine suggests that fat should constitute no more than 35% of total daily caloric consumption. This is both to deter obesity and to manage the intake of saturated fats.

Health Implications[edit | edit source]

  • Weight management: Numerous studies have indicated that curbing fat intake inherently reduces overall caloric consumption, which can lead to weight loss or minimized weight gain.
  • Heart disease prevention: Low-fat diets have been lauded for their potential in thwarting heart diseases. Decreasing fat consumption from the range of 35-40% to 15-20% of total daily calories can reduce total and LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol by 10 to 20%. It's worth noting that this decline is predominantly attributed to a cutback in saturated fat intake.
  • Cholesterol levels: Saturated fats have been repeatedly linked, through myriad studies, to elevated total and LDL cholesterol levels. Such elevated levels have further been associated with a heightened risk of heart diseases.
  • Hidden saturated fats: Notably, even a diet labeled as "high-fat" can possess alarmingly high proportions of saturated fats, even when explicit sources like animal products and tropical oils are excluded. This is attributed to the inherent presence of some saturated fatty acids in all fats. For instance, even if a diet comprises fats with just 20% saturated fatty acids, if the total caloric intake from fats stands at 35%, this translates to 7% of the calories stemming from saturated fats.

Considerations and Caveats[edit | edit source]

  • Carbohydrate Consumption: While low-fat diets effectively lower LDL and total cholesterol, a rapid surge in carbohydrate intake has been conclusively found to spike triglyceride levels. However, a staggered increase in carbohydrate consumption can thwart such hypertriglyceridemia.
  • Mixed Study Outcomes: The efficacy of low-fat diets, particularly concerning long-term health outcomes, has yielded mixed results across various research studies. Thus, individual factors such as genetics, lifestyle, and specific health conditions play a role in determining the diet's success.

Conclusion[edit | edit source]

The low-fat diet, with its primary focus on reducing fat, especially saturated fat and cholesterol, serves as a potential tool in the management of weight and prevention of heart-related ailments. However, a comprehensive understanding of its implications, both positive and adverse, is essential for individuals before adopting such a dietary regimen.

Low-fat diet Resources
Wikipedia
Diets
Dieting Diet - Cuisine - Dietitian - Hunger - Leptin - Meal - Nutrition - Obesity : Staple food
Types Ketogenic diet - Low carbohydrate diet - Weight loss diet
  By food ingredients Omnivore - Entomophagy - Pescetarian - Plant-based
Regional diets Western - Mediterranean - Sustainable diets - Low carbon - Planetary
Religious diets Buddhist - Christian - Hindu - Islamic - Jain - Jewish - Rastafari - Sikh
 Vegetarianism and veganism   Dried fruit - Fruitarianism - Meat analogue - Milk substitute - Raw vegan - Tofu - Semi-vegetarianism
Supplement diets Bodybuilding supplements  - Meal replacement - Therapeutic food - Non-solid diets - Liquid diets - Very-low-calorie diet
Misc.topics Food pyramid - Fruits & Veggies – More Matters - Healthy eating pyramid - Latin American Diet Pyramid - French paradox - Mediterranean Diet Pyramid - MyPlate - MyPyramid - Vegetarian Diet Pyramid


Transform Your Life with W8MD Weight Loss Centers[edit source]

W8mdlogo.png
W8MD weight loss doctors team

W8MD offers a physician-supervised weight loss program at various locations including New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Our centers provide expert medical guidance, accept most insurances, and offer telemedicine options for convenience.

Why choose W8MD?[edit source]

Book Your Appointment[edit source]

Start your weight loss journey today at our centers in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania and visit W8MD.com Call (718)946-5500

WikiMD
Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index‏‎ - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes

Search WikiMD

Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD

WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

Let Food Be Thy Medicine
Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates

Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.

Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD