2018: When the link between insulin and eating carbs goes mainstream?

​​Two very interesting news reports appeared in the frozen 2018 landscape this week. One was the inevitable U.S. News annual listing of the best diets which… also inevitably, rated Paleo, Atkins and Keto-diets poorly while taking a definitively pro-veggie view with its favourites.
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​The other was a paper published in Clinical Chemistry’s special issue on obesity. In that, a sophisticated genetic approach was used to analyse existing data and confirm that genetically determined insulin secretion predicts body mass index(BMI). The body weight of ‘high insulin secretors’ was found to be about 5 kilos more than in ‘low insulin secretors’. ​​

The Keto Diet was rated poorly by a 'panel of experts'

A very low-carb diet is named ketogenic because it stimulates the body into producing ketones which replace the role of glucose in the body's internal energy department!

​Although this second news story does not prove a direct link between consuming carbs and putting on weight (the so-called Carbohydrate/Insulin model of obesity), it certainly makes it much more likely… explaining to some extent what many believe has happened over the last 40 years. Namely that-low fat food has led to much more refined sugar and starch (ultra-processed carbs) in commercially available food offerings, and that this has driven weight gain in every westernized society.

So... back to the U.S. News ‘Best Diets’ rankings. You would think, that if the Carbohydrate/Insulin link is likely to be valid, then diets based on reducing carb-rich food would be deemed healthier and more successful when it comes to weight loss. But it appears they are not. In fact, according to the U.S.News 'panel of experts', they fare poorly, with the Paleo-diet chiming in at #32, the Atkins-diet in place #37 and the Keto-diet joint last at #39.

​If, in spite of this, you are still considering a lower-carb diet, even perhaps a keto-diet that drops the carbs down close to zero, you might need some encouragement. I suggest reading an article published on Business Insider UK which tells one person’s success story with a ketogenic approach - in great detail. Her summary? She feels like a super-hero and sees the weight loss as an added benefit rather than a driving force. Trouble is; no-one really makes money currently from ketogenic approaches. WeightWatchers who came in at number #4 in the U.S. News diet rankings, have their own brand presence, and in general, processed food companies like to get behind them and other calorie based programs. In contrast, 'Keto' is a generic approach, with the power being in the individual's hands. 

Or you could go for the ubiquitous Mediterranean Diet that tops the rankings. The claim? “The not-so-surprising secret is an active lifestyle, weight control, a diet low in red meat, sugar and saturated fat​ and high in produce, nuts and other healthful foods.”

The Mediterranean-Diet appears to be largely sponsored by Oldways, at least judging by the number of credits they get… and Oldways, although nominally a not-for-profit, is sponsored by most of the world's leading processed food manufacturers. Oh well as the French Mediterranean dwellers like to say: "plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose"​.

References:
https://health.usnews.com/best-diet/best-diets-overall
https://medium.com/@davidludwigmd/genetic-study-supports-carbohydrate-insulin-model-of-obesity-327d84be6d2b
http://uk.businessinsider.com/what-is-keto-diet-beginners-2017-12?r=US&IR=T
https://oldwayspt.org/programs/mediterranean-foods-alliance/join-mfa/mfa-packaging-symbols