High-Fat Low-Carbohydrate Diets

High-fat, low-carbohydrate diets have been at the center of debates about healthy eating regimens for years. While some praise this way of eating for it's rapid weight-loss and ease for dieters to follow, others fear the health repercussions could be far from beneficial for those who stay with this plan.

History

Dr. Robert Atkins may have reintroduced this diet to the world in 1972, but his version of the high-fat low-carbohydrate diet is similar to the Paleolithic diet as well as a diet plan created by researchers at Johns Hopkins in the 1920s. The Epilepsy Center at Hopkins used a diet known as the Ketogenic Diet to treat children with hard-to-control seizures. It is a diet they still use today.

Function

When calories are restricted, the human body goes into ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic state where the body burns its own fat. Human bodies are made to burn carbohydrates as fuel, so when carbohydrates are drastically reduced, the body feeds on other sources of fuel to create energy. Individuals experience a decreased appetite and drastic weight loss in areas where fats are stored like the hips, belly and buttocks.

Considerations

In an article for PHYSORG.com, Dr. Steven Hunter from the Royal Victorian Hospital in Belfast commented that, while worldwide obesity is a concern for the general public, high-fat diets "do not help people lose weight any faster than more conventional diets." He suggests losing weight the old fashioned way -- with a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet combined with exercise.

Warnings

Diets that are high in fat have been proven to be harmful to individuals with advanced coronary artery disease, kidney disease or gout. Conditions like these can be worsened when fat consumption is increased. The American Heart Association (AHA) has shown concern over any diet that promotes increased fats in the diet and a reduction of fruits and vegetables. The AHA concludes this particular diet could lead to heart disease or stroke.