HEIDELBERG, Australia—High-protein (low-carb) and high-carbohydrate diets work equally well for maintaining weight loss in overweight individuals; however, high-carb dieters experienced increased blood pressure, according to a new study from researchers at the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital.
According to the study, published in the November issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers assigned 141 men and women who'd completed the weight-loss phase of the diet to one year on a diet in which 30 percent of their calories came from protein, or one consisting of 15 percent protein. Both groups were instructed to keep their fat intake below 30 percent of total calories, and focus on reducing saturated fat. Study participants had lost 16.5 kilograms (36.4 pounds), on average, and only regained 2 kilograms over the following year.
All study participants’ blood pressure decreased as they lost weight; however, blood pressure increased the high-carb group during the weight-maintenance phase.