According to the study, eating a modified Atkins diet can help with reducing body fat and improving lean muscle mass. (Flickr / surlygirl)

This conclusion counters the low-fat diet that nutritionists and doctors have recommended for decades. The study followed a racially diverse group of 150 men and women who followed either low-carb or low-fat diets.

What made the study unique is that unlike most long-term trials, there were no calorie restrictions. Researchers found that by the end of the trial, people on the low-carb diet lost more weight, had greater reductions in body fat, and improved their lean muscle mass more than those in the low-fat group.

Read more at N.Y. Times.

SEE ALSO: High-Protein Diet Linked To Aging And Cancer

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