Quality of Low-Carb, Low-Fat Diet Determines Health Effect on Coronary Heart Disease

TUESDAY, Feb. 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- The quality of low-carbohydrate diets (LCDs) or low-fat diets (LFDs) determines the health effect of these diets on coronary heart disease (CHD) risk, according to a study published online Feb. 11 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.Zhiyuan Wu, Ph.D., from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, and colleagues followed 42,720 men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, 64,164 women in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS), and 91,589 women in NHSII to determine the incidence of CHD. Based on food frequency questionnaire assessments, five LCD and five LFD indices were derived.The researchers documented 20,033 CHD cases during 5,248,916 person-years of follow-up. Comparing individuals with the highest and lowest LCD scores, the pooled multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios for CHD were 1.05, 1.07, 0.94, 1.14, and 0.85 for overall LCD, animal LCD, vegetable LCD, unhealthy LCD, and healthy LCD, respectively. The corresponding estimates were 0.93, 0.94, 0.87, 1.12, and 0.87 for overall LFD, animal LFD, vegetable LFD, unhealthy LFD, and healthy LFD, respectively. Lower triglycerides, higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and lower high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels were also seen in association with the healthy versions of the LCD and LFD patterns, as well as favorable metabolomic profiles, including increased 3-indolepropionic acid and decreased valine; opposite associations were seen with unhealthy patterns."Our findings highlighted that it's not simply about cutting carbs or fat, but it's about the quality of foods people choose to construct those diets," Wu said in a statement. "The efficacy of low-carb and low-fat diets in reducing CHD risk is a topic of ongoing debate, and past studies showed mixed findings."Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required).Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Quality of Low-Carb, Low-Fat Diet Determines Health Effect on Coronary Heart Disease

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