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By Lisa Rapaport
(Reuters Health) – An American study suggests that people who reduce their carbohydrate intake may increase their risk of premature death if they fill their plates of meat and cheese instead of vegetables and nuts.
While previous research has linked low-carb diets to greater success with short-term weight loss and risk factors for premature death such as diabetes, less is known about the long-term effects of diabetes. carbohydrate reduction instead for optimal health.
For this study, researchers tracked more than 15,000 adults aged 45 to 65 for approximately 25 years. During this period, 6,283 people died.
The researchers report in The Lancet Public Health that participants who consumed 50 to 55 percent of their calories from carbohydrates have a risk of death from all causes during the lower study period.
With lower carbohydrate intake, the types of foods eaten instead of carbohydrates were associated with very different types of results.
"Low carbohydrate diets that replaced carbohydrates with animal proteins or fats were associated with a higher risk of mortality, whereas this association was reversed when carbohydrates from Brigham Hospital Women's and Harvard Medical School in Boston.
"The key message of this study is that it's not enough to focus solely on reducing carbohydrates, but rather to focus on the types of foods that replace them," Seidelmann said by email.
The study was not designed to prove whether or how eating fewer carbohydrates or more vegetables could have a direct impact on longevity.
But it's possible that herbal proteins help people live longer by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, Seidelmann said. As the body uses oxygen, it produces byproducts called free radicals that can damage cells and tissues. Damage caused by free radicals of oxygen is known as oxidative stress.
At the same time, it is possible that the opposite is true for meat and especially for processed meats. Proteins and animal fats can have adverse health effects as they cause inflammation and oxidative stress, Seidelmann said.
The researchers estimated that, starting at age 50, the average life expectancy was 33 years more for people with moderate carbohydrate intake, which meant that carbohydrates accounted for 50 to 55 percent of their calories.
A high intake of carbohydrates – accounting for more than 70% of calories – was associated with an average life expectancy of about 32 years. Low carbohydrate intake – representing less than 40% of calories – was associated with a 29-year life expectancy.
One of the limitations of the study is that the researchers evaluated dietary habits only twice, at the beginning of the study and six years later, and that participants' diets evolved over time.
However, the findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that a balanced diet is the best, said Andrew Mente, co-author of an accompanying editorial and researcher at the University of Toronto. McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.
"The new study shows that a moderate amount of carbohydrate is optimal, while too low or too high is related to mortality," Mente said via e-mail.
"It's not really surprising since most nutrients or foods have a special place," added Mente. "A moderate amount of carbohydrates usually results in a balanced diet including fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish, dairy products and unprocessed meats, all in moderate amounts."
SOURCE: https://bit.ly/2OVROi8 and https://bit.ly/2MHENwa The Lancet Public Health, online August 16, 2018.
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