The recent study once again enforced the idea that balanced diet including adequate amount of all the nutrients even carbohydrates is must for the proper functioning of the body. People often resort to low-carbohydrate/high-protein diets to aid weight loss. Recent study revealed that although low-carbohydrate diet help in weight reduction but it also increases risk of heart attack and stroke by leading to atherosclerosis and impairing blood vessel growth.

Research team from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at Harvard University studied the effect on three types of diet on mice. The first group of mice was fed a low-carbohydrate diet comprising 12 percent carbohydrate and 45 percent protein. The second group of mice was given a 'Western' diet containing 43 percent carbohydrate and 20 percent protein and the third group was given a standard mouse diet having 65 percent carbohydrate and 20 percent protein.

The mice were observed after 6 weeks and 12 weeks. It was found that mice on the low-carb diet gained 28 percent less weight as compared to the mice on the Western diet. But level of atherosclerosis was 15.3 percent in mice fed low-carbo diet as compared to 8.8 percent in the Western diet group.

Senior author Dr. Anthony Rosenzweig said: "This issue is particularly important given the growing epidemic of obesity and its adverse consequences. For now, it appears that a moderate and balanced diet, coupled with regular exercise, is probably best for most people."