Manifest for LCHF (Low carbohydrate - High fat) Dietary Recommendation
Overweight, obesity, the metabolic syndrome (decreased insulin sensitivity)
and diabetes type-2 are now spreading worldwide.
This development is paralleled by western world recommendations (following
the initiatives of USA and WHO) to reduce dietary fat, and in particular,
all saturated fats. The supplementary recommendation is a corresponding
increase of carbohydrates.
The recommended reduction of saturated fats rests on the assumption that
these are deleterious to the arteries and that they contribute to
arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
The reduced fat-recommendations are now also being adopted by a growing
number of developing countries. This development is paralleled by an
increased occurrence of overweight and diabetes.
The Metabolic syndrome
The metabolic syndrome is characterised by a prolonged elevation of the
blood glucose level after a meal.
Type-2 diabetes is characterised by elevated levels even during fasting.
Both conditions are associated with elevated insulin levels.
Carbohydrates in the form of starches and sugars are the main factors behind
elevated blood glucose levels. The reaction to glucose is an elevated
insulin level.
Insulin resistance is the result of elevated levels of glucose and insulin.
The elevated level of insulin causes fat to be stored in the fat cells, and
simultaneously prevents the body from burning fat. The result is overweight
and obesity.
Research
Recent studies have presented evidence for atherosclerosis being the result
of inflammatory effects on the artery wall. The negative effect on the
arterial wall is directly associated with elevated levels of glucose and
insulin.
Scientific studies strongly suggest that the logical preventive method to
counteract overweight, diabetes and arteriosclerosis is lowered carbohydrate
consumption.
The often repeated hypothesis that saturated fats are deleterious to the
arteries has never been satisfactorily proven in serious academic research.
Instead, some studies are indicative of the opposite to be true.
Since the beneficial effects of a lowered carbohydrate intake are readily
established, the proponents of saturated fats restriction still have the
burden of proof.
Intervention studies comparing low fat diets with low carbohydrate diets
convincingly favours the low carbohydrate diets when studying markers for
heart disease, such as blood glucose, HbA1c, blood lipids, insulin, and
blood pressure. Clinical observations regarding diabetes and heart disease
are also in favour of the low carbohydrate diets.
The Evolution
Combining the recent findings with an evolutionary perspective on the diet
issue, considering that man has consumed a high proportion of saturated fats
in his natural diet, the persistent hypothesis of the dangers of saturated
fats can at this point be safely dismissed.
We claim, therefore, that the official dietary recommendations, issued by
national food administration authorities, should be altered in the following
way: Consumption of carbohydrates, and in particular consumption of highly
refined carbohydrates, should be restricted.
The consumption of saturated fats should be increased.