Doctors pay attention to studies like this one because they give answers based on controlled comparisons. They tell what works best. One important revelation in the study is that there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
So which diet will work best to help people take off the extra pounds?
The study, done in Israel, randomly assigned more than 300 people to one of three diets, which they stayed on for a period of two years.
The diets were a low fat diet with calorie limits; a Mediterranean-type diet, also with calorie limits; and a low-carbohydrate diet based on the Atkins diet with no restrictions on calories.
Low-carb diets incorporate more protein, but cut out simple carbs like bread and pasta.
"Everyone lost weight, but the people who lost the most were on the low-carbohydrate and on the Mediterranean diet," internist and weight specialist Dr. Jana Klauer said.
Dieters on the low-carb diet lost an average of about 12 pounds during the course of the study. That is compared to 10 pounds on the Mediterranean diet.
A Mediterranean-type diet is what New Yorker Caryl Uzelac is now following. It's a diet high in fresh vegetables, lean sources of protein like chicken and fish and monounsaturated fats like olive oil.
"I've been driven primarily by health and ensuring that I maintain my health," Uzelac said.
Weight loss also improves health, and the diets had different and important effects on dieters' health.
The Mediterranean diet worked best for lowering blood sugar, an important issue for diabetics. The low-carbohydrate diet was most effective for controlling cholesterol.
The study suggests there are important options to consider in choosing a diet.
"Sustaining the diet is the key," Dr. Klauer said. "You need something that you can stay with and not give up. Every choice that you make matters."
Caryl says her choice has been working for her.
"It works, it's healthy, I feel good," she said. "It worked very well for me."
The study was done in an Israeli workplace where lunch is the main meal of the day. It is hard to say why the loss was not more dramatic, but one important factor is that people were able to sustain it for two years.
Descriptions of diet plans used in the study:
Low-Fat Diet: The low-fat, restricted-calorie diet was based on American Heart Association guidelines. We aimed at an energy intake of 1500 kcal per day for women and 1800 kcal per day for men, with 30 percent of calories from fat, 10 percent of calories from saturated fat, and an intake of 300 mg of cholesterol per day. The participants were counseled to consume low-fat grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes and to limit their consumption of additional fats, sweets, and high-fat snacks.
Mediterranean Diet: The moderate-fat, restricted-calorie, Mediterranean diet was rich in vegetables and low in red meat, with poultry and fish replacing beef and lamb. We restricted energy intake to 1500 kcal per day for women and 1800 kcal per day for men, with a goal of no more than 35% of calories from fat; the main sources of added fat were 30 to 45 g of olive oil and a handful of nuts (five to seven nuts, <20 g) per day. The diet is based on the recommendations of Willett and Skerrett.
Low-Carbohydrate Diet: The low-carbohydrate, non-restricted-calorie diet aimed to provide 20 g of carbohydrates per day for the 2-month induction phase and immediately after religious holidays, with a gradual increase to a maximum of 120 g per day to maintain the weight loss. The intakes of total calories, protein, and fat were not limited. However, the participants were counseled to choose vegetarian sources of fat and protein and to avoid trans fat. The diet was based on the Atkins diet.
From the discussion:
"The results imply that dietary composition modifies metabolic biomarkers in addition to leading to weight loss. Our results suggest that health care professionals might consider more than one dietary approach, according to individual preferences and metabolic needs, as long as the effort is sustained."
CLICK HERE to read Weight Loss with a Low-Carbohydrate, Mediterranean, or Low-Fat Diet.
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STORY BY: Dr. Jay Aldersberg
WEB PRODUCED BY: Bill King
