Frontiers in Nutrition: Cutting Carbohydrates Instead of Fat Helps Women Better Control Appetite

A new study published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition shows that reducing carbohydrate intake, rather than fat, may lead to better appetite control in women living with lipedema—a condition similar to obesity but characterized by a distinct pattern of fat accumulation in the lower parts of the body.

Lipedema predominantly affects women, particularly during periods of hormonal change—such as adolescence, pregnancy, and menopause—and is associated with tissue inflammation, which may influence appetite-regulation mechanisms in the brain.

Scientists analyzed data from a clinical trial involving 70 participants with lipedema and obesity, who were divided into two groups. One group followed a low-carbohydrate diet (about 75 g of carbohydrates per day), while the other followed a low-fat diet (around 180 g of carbohydrates and 27 g of fat per day) for eight weeks. In both groups, daily energy intake was approximately 1,200 kcal, with the same amount of protein.

The results showed that women on the low-carbohydrate diet experienced a significant reduction in so-called hedonic hunger—the pleasure-driven desire to eat triggered by the sight or smell of food, even when the body does not need energy. This effect was measured using the Power of Food Scale, and the decrease in responsiveness to food cues was especially pronounced in the subcategory “food present but not yet tasted.”

In addition, participants in the low-carbohydrate group reported a marked decrease in emotional eating—that is, a reduced tendency to eat in response to negative emotions. In contrast, women following the low-fat diet showed an increase in “cognitive restraint,” meaning a greater ability to consciously limit food intake to maintain body weight.

The study authors suggest that a low-carbohydrate diet may affect the brain’s reward system, particularly hormones such as ghrelin and insulin, which influence dopaminergic pathways associated with the pleasure of eating. This mechanism may help explain why carbohydrate restriction reduces reactivity to food cues and supports better appetite control.

Follow NEWS.am Medicine on Facebook and Twitter