For a large proportion of the population, however, the effect of higher - carbohydrate diets, particularly those enriched in refined carbohydrates, coupled with the rising incidence of overweight and obesity, creates a metabolic state that can favor a
worsening of the atherogenic
dyslipidemia that is characterized by elevated triglycerides, reduced HDL cholesterol, and increased concentrations of small, dense LDL particles (6, 7).