People randomly assigned to either a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet for one year had lower scores for anxiety and depression than people who were randomly assigned to a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet according to a 2009 study from Australia.

Both groups lost an average of 30 lbs after one year.

“In conclusion, we found that despite similar weight loss after energy-restricted [high-fat, low-carb] and [low-fat, high-carb] diets for 12 months and rapid improvements in mood during the first 8 weeks with both diets, over the long term many of the benefits regressed in the [high-fat, low-carb] diet group such that participants on the [low-fat, high-carb] diet achieved better outcomes,” the authors of the study concluded.

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People assigned to eat diets with a different composition of protein (15% vs 25%), fat (20% vs 40%) and carbohydrates (35% to 65%), but the same number of calories, lost the same amount of weight and same amount of fat according to a recent study from researchers at Harvard University. The average weight loss was 13.9 lbs after six months which was similar in all the diet groups, with 9.2 lbs coming from body fat, and 4.6 lbs coming from lean body mass (muscle) "with no differences between 25% and 15% protein, 40% and 20% fat, or 65% and 35% carbohydrate." Read the entire article | Email this article

Patients following a high-carbohydrate, low-calorie-dense diet lost an average of 8.8 pounds according to a study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham EatRight Weight Management Program. Read the entire article | Email this article

Although "dietary compliance [after one-year] was poor in all groups, women maintain more of their weight loss with a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet than a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet or a low-fat, high-carbohydrate, high-fiber diet according to a recent study from researchers at the Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research in Dunedin, New Zealand. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women instructed to eat either a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet or a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet lost more weight than those who were instructed to eat a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet according to a recent study from researchers at the Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research in Dunedin, New Zealand. "This study provides strong support for the use of higher protein diets as an alternative to the conventional [high-carbohydrate, low-fat] approach," the researchers concluded. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women lost more weight during the first six months when instructed to eat a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet (18.7 pounds or 8.7 percent of their body weight) or a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet (17.6 lbs or 8.5 percent) compared to a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet (13 pounds or 6 percent of their body weight) according to a recent study from researchers at the Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research in Dunedin, New Zealand, but those in the high-fat group gained back more body fat (5.1 pounds) than those in the high-protein group, who gained back 2 pounds of body fat, or those in the high-carbohydrate group who gained back 1.8 pounds of body fat. Read the entire article | Email this article

More women who were instructed to follow a high-protein diet returned after one year for a follow-up (93 percent) than those who were instructed to follow a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet (77 percent) or those who were instructed to follow a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet (75%) according to a recent study. This suggests that people may find it easier and more effective to follow instructions to eat a high-protein diet than a high-fat or high-carbohydrate diet. Read the entire article | Email this article

After losing about 20 lbs on a very-low calorie liquid diet, people instructed to eat a high-protein diet lost an additional 2.4 lbs in 3 months compared to a weight gain of 2.6 lbs for those instructed to eat a high-carbohydrate diet.

This was a difference of about 5 lbs. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women lose a similar amount of weight (16 lbs vs 15 lbs) and body fat (11 lbs vs 12 lbs) with a low-carb diet versus a high-carb diet according to a study from Australia.

This was different than what was seen in men, where men on a low-carb diet lost 1.5 times as much weight and nearly twice as much fat as those on a high-carb diet. Read the entire article | Email this article

Men lose roughly 1.5 times more weight (22 lbs vs 14.5 lbs) and nearly twice as much fat (18 lbs vs 10 lbs) with a low-carb diet versus a high-carb diet according to a study from Australia. Read the entire article | Email this article