GREENVILLE, SC (FOX Carolina) -
Are all calories really the same? The question was asked as part of new study. The National Institutes of Health found eating low-carb works better than eating low-fat when trying to lose weight.
Scientists had obese participants follow one of three diets for four weeks. The diets had the same number of calories but the fat, protein and amount of carbohydrates varied.
They found low-carb dieters burned the most calories. It could be big news for the weight loss industry, but some experts said it's still too early to tell.
"There's nothing in the study that indicates exactly what the groups did physically, so there may be a difference in their physical activity," said The Rush 247 Fitness General Manager, Lee McClellan. "That could lead one group to burn more calories than the other."
That's not the only reservation McClellan has about the results. Participants ate meals prepared by dietitians, and he said those results may not translate to dieters who are preparing their own meals.
Fox Carolina spoke to some at The Rush 247 gym, who said the idea that a "low-carb" diet may give a leg up on weight loss wasn't a surprise.
"If you're looking to bulk up and build muscle then you need those carbs," Micah Rains said. "But if you're looking to slim down and tone up, you definitely should cut back on the carbs."
Researchers did identify one downside to their low-carb theory - they said it appears to raise some risk factors for heart disease.
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