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Consumption of inferior low-fats and carbohydrates can impact your life span, says study

People who consumed carbohydrates from whole grains, non-starchy vegetables, and whole fruits had lower risks of premature deaths, says the study, which was conducted on the data provided by 37,233 American adults
UPDATED JAN 22, 2020
(Getty images)
(Getty images)

The secret to a long and healthy life could depend on the quality of low-fats and carbohydrates one consumes. A new study recommends switching to healthier versions of low-fats and carbohydrates to lead longer lives.

These findings suggest that not all low-carbohydrate and low-fat foods are beneficial. “The health benefits of a low-carb diet may not only depend on the types of protein and fat but also the quality of carbohydrate remaining in the diet,” study leader Dr. Zhilei Shan of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, told Reuters.

In this study, Shan and his team collected and analyzed data on the dietary patterns of 37,233 American adults. These participants provided this data to the researchers through national dietary surveys conducted from 1999 to 2014. 

This period saw about 849 and 1,068 deaths from heart disease and cancer, respectively. Both these diseases are linked to unhealthy diets, says the study. "Evidence has indicated that quality and food sources of carbohydrate and fat play an important role in human diseases and health," according to the study. 

Ice creams are loaded with sugar and are unhealthy. (Getty mages)

People who consumed carbohydrates from whole grains, non-starchy vegetables, and whole fruits had lower risks of premature deaths, says the study. Similarly, people eating unsaturated fat -- avocado, nuts, olive oils -- had a lower risk of heart disease and mortality. Ingesting saturated fat such as cream, cheese, butter, added sugar and refined carbohydrates increased an individual's risk of premature death.

Men consuming unhealthy low-fat and- carbohydrate diet appeared to have a higher risk of death, compared to women. "According to previous findings, 16 males tended to consume a higher percentage of energy from low-quality carbohydrates, animal protein, and saturated fat, which might partly explain the stronger association," says the study.

Further, people consuming healthy food usually stick to healthier habits: they exercise more, have lower body weight, are less likely to smoke and drink alcohol to excess, and are more likely to undergo recommended health testing.

The study shows there can be both good and bad low-carb or low-fat diets, Andrew Mente of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, who wasn’t involved in the study, told Reuters. “It is more about selecting whole natural or minimally-processed foods, regardless of the amount of carbs or fat. This would translate into a diet that may include a variety of whole foods in various combinations including fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and fish as well as whole-fat dairy and unprocessed red meat and poultry,” Mente adds.

The study has been published in JAMA internal medicine.




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