(Press-News.org) WASHINGTON (Feb. 11, 2026) — The quality of a low-carbohydrate or low-fat diet may matter more than the amount of carbohydrates or fat consumed when it comes to reducing heart disease risk, according to a new study published in JACC, the flagship journal of the American College of Cardiology. Researchers found that versions of both diet patterns emphasizing macronutrients from healthy foods were associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), while versions high in refined carbohydrates and animal products were linked to higher risk and adverse metabolic profiles.
Low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets are widely practiced in the U.S., yet their long-term cardiovascular effects and the role of diet quality within these diet patterns have remained unclear. This study is among the most comprehensive to date to analyze diet quality, metabolomic profiles and CHD risk in nearly 200,000 U.S. adults with more than 30 years of follow-up.
“Our findings highlighted that it’s not simply about cutting carbs or fat, but it’s about the quality of foods people choose to construct those diets,” said Zhiyuan Wu, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and lead author of the study. “The efficacy of low-carb and low-fat diets in reducing CHD risk is a topic of ongoing debate, and past studies showed mixed findings.”
Wu added that one reason for these conflicting findings may be that people can follow the same type of low-carb or low-fat diet using either healthy or unhealthy foods.
“Focusing only on nutrient compositions but not food quality may not lead to health benefits,” he said.
To address these knowledge gaps, researchers analyzed data from 198,473 participants across three large-scale cohort studies: the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), NHSII and Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Participants were followed for a combined total of more than 5.2 million person-years, during which 20,033 cases of CHD were documented. Diet patterns were assessed using food frequency questionnaires, and indices were created to distinguish healthy and unhealthy low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets based on food sources and macronutrient quality.
Key findings include:
Healthy versions of both low-carb and low-fat diets, emphasizing plant-based foods, whole grains and unsaturated fats, were associated with a significantly lower risk of CHD.
Unhealthy versions of both diets, high in refined carbohydrates and animal-based fats and proteins, were linked to higher risk of CHD.
Healthy diet patterns were linked to lower triglycerides, higher HDL cholesterol and lower levels of inflammation.
Metabolomic analyses supported these findings, showing favorable biomarker profiles associated with healthy dietary patterns.
“These results suggest that healthy low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets may share common biological pathways that improve cardiovascular health,” Wu said. “Focusing on overall diet quality may offer flexibility for individuals to choose eating patterns that align with their preferences while still supporting heart health.”
Study limitations include that findings may not be generalizable to more extreme dietary patterns with very low carbohydrate or fat intake, such as ketogenic diets, and should be interpreted within the observed ranges of macronutrient consumption. Also, dietary intake was self‑reported and therefore subject to measurement error. Lastly, study findings may have limited generalizability since participants consisted of health professionals with higher health awareness and better access to care, however, underlying biological mechanisms are unlikely to differ drastically across populations.
“This study helps move the conversation beyond the long-standing debate over low-carbohydrate versus low-fat diets,” said Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, Editor-in-Chief of JACC. “The findings show that what matters most for heart health is the quality of the foods people eat. Whether a diet is lower in carbohydrates or fat, emphasizing plant-based foods, whole grains, and healthy fats is associated with better cardiovascular outcomes.”
For an embargoed copy of the study “Effect of Low-Carbohydrate and Low-Fat Diets on Metabolomic Indices and Coronary Heart Disease in US Individuals,” contact JACC Media Relations Manager Olivia Walther at owalther@acc.org.
The American College of Cardiology (ACC) is a global leader dedicated to transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health for all. For more than 75 years, the ACC has empowered a community of over 60,000 cardiovascular professionals across more than 140 countries with cutting-edge education and advocacy, rigorous professional credentials, and trusted clinical guidance. From its world-class JACC Journals and NCDR registries to its Accreditation Services, global network of Chapters and Sections, and CardioSmart patient initiatives, the College is committed to creating a world where science, knowledge and innovation optimize patient care and outcomes. Learn more at www.ACC.org or connect on social media at @ACCinTouch.
The ACC’s JACC Journals rank among the top cardiovascular journals in the world for scientific impact. The flagship journal, the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) — and specialty journals consisting of JACC: Advances, JACC: Asia, JACC: Basic to Translational Science, JACC: CardioOncology, JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging, JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions, JACC: Case Reports, JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology and JACC: Heart Failure — pride themselves on publishing the top peer-reviewed research on all aspects of cardiovascular disease. Learn more at JACC.org.
###
END
Key points:
Low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets rich in high-quality, plant-based foods and low in animal products and refined carbohydrates were linked with lower risk of heart disease, while the same diets that were rich in refined carbohydrates and high in animal products and other low-quality foods were associated with a higher risk of heart disease. The study suggests that it’s the quality of the macronutrients composing these diets that make a difference for heart health, rather than the quantity.
According to the researchers, the findings help debunk the myth that simply modulating carbohydrate or fat intake is inherently beneficial.
Boston, ...
(WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2026) — The American Society of Hematology (ASH) released guidelines on frontline management of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in adolescents and young adults (AYAs), as well as the management of relapsed or refractory disease in this population. Both guidelines, grounded in evidence-based practice, were developed by pediatric and adult experts in collaboration with patient representatives to improve outcomes for this vulnerable patient population. They were published in the Society’s peer-reviewed journal Blood Advances.
“Caring for these individuals is complex ...
LOS ANGELES — City of Hope® Research Spotlight offers a glimpse into groundbreaking scientific and clinical discoveries advancing lifesaving cures for patients with cancer, diabetes and other chronic, life-threatening diseases. Each spotlight features research-related news, such as recognitions, collaborations and the latest research defining the future of medical treatment.
To learn more about research at City of Hope, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations ...
As Norway and other nations begin to scale up the storage of CO2 in undersea geologic reservoirs, research from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) is helping answer two important questions about this storage.
“Where has my CO2 gone? Is it leaking or not?” says Martin Landrø, an NTNU geophysicist and director of the university’s Centre for Geophysical Forecasting (CGF). “Those are the basic questions actually.”
This is like a revolution in visualization and understanding of what's happening.
Norway ...
Chemotherapy remains one of the most powerful tools in the fight against cancer, yet it often comes with significant long-term side effects that can dramatically affect patients’ quality of life. Among the most debilitating is Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy, which impacts both the central and peripheral nervous systems and affects up to 85% of cancer patients and survivors.
Docetaxel is a chemotherapy drug that kills cancer cells by disrupting microtubules, structures essential for cell division. However, microtubules are also critical for nerve function, so docetaxel can damage nerve endings, axons and mitochondria, causing neuropathic symptoms such as ...
BETHESDA, MD – February 11, 2026 | Bianca Seminotti, PhD is the 2026 recipient of the ACMG Foundation Early Career Travel Award. The ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine selected Dr. Seminotti based on her abstract “Mitochondrial Function in Fibroblasts from a Patient with Congenital NAD Deficiency due to Biallelic NADSYN1 Variants,” which will be delivered as a platform presentation at the 2026 ACMG Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting.
Dr. Bianca Seminotti earned her bachelor’s degree in Biomedicine and her master’s and doctoral degrees in Biochemistry from ...
Key Takeaways
Rural patients often face greater travel distances when seeking coordinated medical care, which can affect the timeliness and quality of their cancer treatment.
New analysis shows that patients with lung or colon cancer had similar surgical outcomes and mortality rates whether they underwent surgery at a local rural or urban facility.
Study provides preliminary evidence that many rural cancer patients can receive complex surgical care locally to reduce their travel burden, the authors said.
CHICAGO — Adults ...
PULLMAN, Wash. – A wearable biosensor developed by Washington State University researchers could improve wireless glucose monitoring for people with diabetes, making it more cost-effective, accurate, and less invasive than current models.
The WSU researchers have developed a wearable and user-friendly sensor that uses microneedles and sensors to measure sugar in the fluid around cells, providing an alternative to continuous glucose monitoring systems. Reporting in the journal Analyst, the researchers were able to accurately ...
On January 30, 2026, thirty experts and scholars from domestic and international research institutions and universities, along with more than a hundred faculty and students, gathered at the Guanggu Campus of the Wuhan Botanical Garden to celebrate the release of the Journal of Systematics and Evolution (JSE) special issue on Uplift history and biological evolution of the Himalaya (II). The release of this issue, the second volume of the JSE Himalayas Series, also included a journal development seminar and was jointly organized by JSE and the Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
In addition to promoting ...
In the most comprehensive analysis to date, a new study by Silent Spring Institute identified dozens of hazardous chemicals in hair extensions, including products made from human hair, providing the strongest evidence yet of the potential health risks associated with this largely unregulated category of beauty products that disproportionately affect Black women.
Published in the American Chemical Society journal Environment & Health, the study arrives amid growing concern about the health impacts of hair extensions, which are widely used by Black women. More than 70 percent of Black women report wearing hair extensions ...
