Effects of a Low-carbohydrate Diet on Weight Loss and Cardiovascular Risk Factor in Overweight Adolescents

To compare the effects of a low-carbohydrate (LC) diet with those of a low-fat (LF) diet on weight loss and serum lipids in overweight adolescents. The LC group lost more weight (mean, 9.9 +/- 9.3 kg vs 4.1 +/- 4.9 kg) and had improvement in non-HDL cholesterol levels. There were no adverse effects on the lipid profiles of participants in either group. The LC diet appears to be an effective method for short-term weight loss in overweight adolescents and does not harm the lipid profile.