Joint Statement on Low Carbohydrate Diets for Health and Weight Loss

Abstract

Any diet recommended for the short or long term should be nutritionally sound, not harmful to health or the environment, practical, affordable, and suit the individual’s taste preferences and psychosocial environment. The current available evidence does not support an extreme low carbohydrate diet for reducing risk of disease. Low carbohydrate diets may enable some people to lose weight by reducing their energy intake and achieving an energy deficit. However, achieving a nutritionally adequate and healthy dietary pattern becomes problematic with extreme low carbohydrate diets that emphasise high fat intake from predominantly animal foods and restrict and eliminate many nutrient- and fibre-rich foods. The commercialisation of low carbohydrate diets is substantial and consequently many versions of this diet continue to be sold.