Fact check: Long-term low-carbohydrate high-fat diets are associated with increased cardiac and non-cardiac mortality

1. Summary of the results

1. Summary of the results:

The analyses present conflicting interpretations of available research on low-carbohydrate high-fat (LCHF) diets. One analysis points to meta-analyses showing a 20% increased risk in all-cause mortality, 13% increase in cardiovascular mortality, and 8% increase in cancer mortality for LCHF diets. However, these risks varied significantly based on whether fats/proteins came from animal sources (18% increased mortality) or plant sources (18% decreased mortality).

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints:

The original statement omits several crucial pieces of context:

• The source of fats and proteins (animal vs. plant) dramatically affects mortality outcomes
• Short-term studies actually showed some positive effects of LCHF diets, including greater weight loss and increased HDL-cholesterol
• The research base consists primarily of short-term studies with limited participants (one analysis mentioned only 739 participants across 11 studies)
• There is an explicit acknowledgment by researchers that more long-term studies are needed

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement:

The statement presents an oversimplified view of a complex topic. Several groups have vested interests in this debate:

• The traditional food industry and grain producers benefit from promoting high-carbohydrate diets
• The meat and dairy industry benefits from promoting high-fat, animal-based diets
• The health supplement industry benefits from concerns about micronutrient deficiencies in any restricted diet

The statement fails to acknowledge that diet outcomes are highly individualized and that blanket statements about mortality risks may not apply uniformly across populations.