Depending on the source, low-fat diets are not any more relevant than a low-carbohydrate diet. A study from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), showed that a low-fat diet did not offer any substantial health benefits in the defending the body against breast cancer colorectal cancer, or heart disease, after menopause.

However, a closer evaluation of the clinical trials showed that the reduction to elimination of certain types of fat does have benefits. Published in the February 8, 2006, issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association, the study involved 48,835 participants. Prior to the study, the vast majority of subjects were eating an average of 38 percent of their daily caloric daily intake from fat.

The researchers assigned one group to eat natural foods (fruits, grains, and vegetables) and to reduce daily caloric intake. The other 60 percent maintained their normal high fat intake consumption habits. The participants of the study were monitored for eight years. The final conclusions of the clinical trial did not show a significant difference between the two groups.

On the contrary, the group, whose consumption was limited to a low-fat diet, faired quite well. Although, they women followed a diet high in carbohydrates, this group did not gain weight. More importantly, they had a decreased risk of diabetes.

Although researchers did not find conclusive results pertaining to the purpose of their study, reduce the risk of breast, colorectal and the diet’s effect on heart health. The validity of the study’s findings is deemed controversial because the evaluation did not distinguish the difference in fat types.

In lieu of the countering data, medical experts are prescribing that patients reduce trans fat and saturated fat intakes because it can raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels and trigger the risk of heart disease.