Because low-fat and low-carb diets can aid in weight loss in overweight individuals, they can also both help decrease disease risks. However, low-carb diets may be slightly more beneficial in some cases. The studies published in 2012 in the American Journal of Epidemiology and in 2014 in Annals of Internal Medicine found that low-carb diets lowered cholesterol levels slightly more than low-fat diets. Low-carb diets may also be more beneficial for people with diabetes trying to control blood sugar levels.