Synthesis and Organization Assignment Part 2: Synthesis Matrix
Research Question:
How do the long­term effects of adopting a low­carbohydrate diet affect one’s overall health?
Main Claim:
The adoption of a low­carbohydrate diet is beneficial to one’s overall health. However, like with any diet plan, there are some risks involved. →Sources→
↓Reasons ↓
Reason 1:
Low­carbohydrate
diets are beneficial to one’s health by improving metabolic health through the improvement of cardiovascular and hormonal components.

Astrup et. al

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“Triglyceride concentrations were significantly more reduced.
HDL­cholesterol
improved more”
(2004, p.898).
“Improvements
in
LDL­cholesterol
particle size and in postprandial blood­lipid profile” (2004,
p.898).

Atallah et. al

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“Eight
[short­term]
RCTs provided data on Atkins and suggest a favorable impact on high­density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides relative to usual care,
WW, and
Zone” (2014,
822).
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“Long­term
RCTs comparing Atkins to usual care showed significant improvements in high­density

Bravata et. al

Crowe et. al

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Mean change
[with SD] in
BMI: ­1.4
2
(4.6) kg/m
(2003, p.
1844)
Mean change
[with SD] in
Body fat:
­1.0 (5.6)%
(2003, p.
1844)
Mean change
[with SD] in
Total
cholesterol:
­1.2 (7.3) mg/dL (2003,
p. 1844)
Mean change
[with SD] in
LDL­cholest
erol: ­0.3
(9.7) mg/dL
(2003, p.
1844)

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“One of the consistent findings reported in the literature is the ability of low­carbohydr ate diets to significantly lower triglyceride levels” (2005,
p. 237)
“Low­carbohy
drate diets tend to result in increases in
HDL­cholester
ol while the effect on low­density (LDL) cholesterol is variable” (2005, p.237)

Ebbeling et. al

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“HDL­cholestero l… triglycerides… and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1… were most favorable with the very low­carbohydrat e diet” (2012,
p.2630).
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“Leptin was … lowest with the very low­carbohydrat e diet” (2012, p.
2630).
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“The very low­carbohydrat e diet produced the greatest improvements in most metabolic syndrome lipoprotein cholesterol and, to a lesser extent, triglyceride levels at 12 and 24 months” (2014, p. 822).
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“Findings from short­ term RCTs showed that
Atkins and
WW had favorable effects on SBP and DBP, with benefits being greatest with the Atkins diet” (2014, p.
822)

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Mean change
[with SD] in
HDL­cholest
erol: ­0.2
(2.1) mg/dL
(2003, p.
1844)
Mean change
[with SD] in
Triglycerides
: +4.1 (4.5)
(2003, p.
1844)
Mean change
[with SD] in
Systolic
blood pressure: +0.7 (5.2) mm Hg
(2003, p.
1844)

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“Greater improvements in
HDL­cholester
ol and triglycerides were observed throughout most of the study on low­carbohydr ate diets”
(2005, p.237)
“One 6­week study involving 20 normal weight and lipidaemic men who switched from their habitual diet to a ketogenic diet… found favourable improvements in fasting triglycerides, … postprandial lipaemia… and fasting serum insulin… with no significant changes in
LDL­ and
HDL­cholester
ol” (2005, p.
238)

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components”
(2012, p. 2632).
Blood Pressure in mm Hg
Pre­Weight­Loss
: Systolic 116
(114 to 119)
Diastolic 67 (64 to 70) (2012, p.
2631)
Blood Pressure for Very
Low­carbohydrat
e diet: Systolic
111 (109 to 114)
Diastolic 63 (61 to 66) (2012, p.
2631)

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“Low­ carbohydrate diets appear to have favourable effects on some blood lipids in the short to medium term while the effect on LDL­cholester ol is variable”
(2005, p.239)
“Low­carbohy
drate dieters typically show increases in
HDL­cholester
ol, which is the opposite to that observed on a low­fat diet”
(2005, p. 239)
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Reason 2:
Low­carbohydrate
diets are beneficial to one’s health by decreasing one’s chances of developing certain forms of cancer
Reason