Diets low in sugars with moderate levels of carbohydrates but not as low in fat and protein may lower metabolism less than low-fat diets, a U.S. study showed.

That could make dieters feel less tired, cold and hungry, U.S. researchers said in a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The research found composition of diet, the sources of calories, can affect physiological adaptations that defend body weight.

On a low-glycemic load diet, resting energy expenditure decreased less than with the low-fat diet, which could amount to several pounds of weight change per year, given this effect would persist over a long term. For comparative purposes, a similar effect on caloric expenditure could be obtained by walking a mile per day.

Reduction in glycemic load may aid in the prevention or treatment of obesity, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. For example, insulin resistance decreased by more than twice as much with weight loss in the low-glycemic load versus the low-fat group.

The study's results resembled those of an earlier short-term study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.