Low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets such as the Atkins diet do not help people lose more weight than low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets, according to new research from the Royal Victoria Hospital.

The lead author also said in a news release that people on the low-carb plans have a higher risk of heart disease.

"By advocating low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets as a weapon against obesity and diabetes, health professionals could be contributing to a dangerous rise in cardiovascular disease," Dr. Steven Hunter said.

Hunter's research found that both kinds of diets produce equal weight loss and most other factors, such as insulin response, were the same. But those on the Atkins-style diet had more stiffness in their arteries, a sign of increased cardiovascular risk.

"High-fat diets have become popular because they seemingly promote more rapid weight loss and because of their palatability," Hunter said. "However, we now have proof that they do not help people lose weight any faster than more conventional diets, and the potential negatives of increased cardiovascular risks far outweigh the potential positives of more easily sustained dieting (and) weight loss, especially when there is a proven and safe alternative."

The news release did not provide details on how many people were in the study or how it was conducted.