Moderate-Fat Diet is Kinder to Heart than Low-Fat Diet, Study by UB Researcher Shows
 

Moderate-Fat Diet is Kinder to Heart than Low-Fat Diet, Study by UB
Researcher Shows
Release date: Friday, January 30, 2004
Contact: Lois Baker,
Phone: 716-645-5000 ext 1417
Fax: 716-645-3765


BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Overweight individuals who adopt a low-fat diet in hopes of
lessening their risk of heart disease and diabetes may be venturing down the
wrong path, results of a new study headed by a nutritional researcher at the
University at Buffalo have shown.
The study, published in the current (February) issue of the American Journal
of Clinical Nutrition, showed that a moderate-fat diet might be a better
choice. Christine L. Pelkman, Ph.D., assistant professor of nutrition in the
UB School of Public Health and Health Professions, is first author on the
study.

The dietary intervention trial involved two groups of overweight
participants assigned to eat meals containing the same number of calories,
but different percentages fat. The groups were monitored so that both lost
the same amount of weight. After six weeks, those on the moderate-fat diet
had a healthier heart profile than those on the low-fat diet.

Participants who consumed a diet containing 33 percent fat (moderate fat)
reduced their cardiovascular risk by 14 percent, based on their lipid
profiles, findings showed. Those consuming a diet containing 18 percent fat
(low fat) reduced their lipid-based risk by nine percent.

Moreover, after a four-week weight maintenance phase, moderate-fat dieters
maintained their levels of beneficial cholesterol (HDL), improved the ratio
of HDL to total and non-HDL cholesterol and lowered the concentration of
triglycerides, also harmful to heart health.

Low-fat dieters experienced an initial drop in triglycerides, but at the end
of the study, these fats had rebounded, HDL levels were lower and the ratio
of HDL to total and non-HDL cholesterol didn't change.

"We don't know very much about the effects of a higher-fat versus a
lower-fat, weight-loss diet on the blood lipid profile in overweight
adults," said Pelkman. "The emphasis has been on low-fat diets for both
weight loss and for reducing the risk of heart disease.

"We know that losing weight improves the lipid profile, but that doesn't
tell us if weight loss alone or the composition of the diet is responsible.
We wanted to take weight loss out of the equation and see if there is an
effect of diet composition during weight loss." Pelkman conducted the
research while a postdoctoral researcher at Penn State.

The study group consisted of 53 overweight or obese men and women between
the ages of 20 and 67 who were assigned randomly to either the low- or
moderate-fat diet. All meals were provided, and weight loss was kept
constant at an average of 2.4 to 2.7 pounds a week. Both diets met current
saturated fat and cholesterol recommendations.

Carbohydrates replaced the calories from saturated fats in the low-fat diet,
while monounsaturated fats replaced saturated fats in the moderate-fat diet.
Chemical analysis of the diets validated the composition of the two diets.

During the weight-loss period, both groups lowered their total and LDL
cholesterol, but the low-fat group also experienced a 12 percent drop in HDL
cholesterol. Triglycerides dropped in both groups, as well.

However, during the weight-maintenance phase, there was a reversal of the
weight-loss induced drop in triglycerides and a reduction in HDL cholesterol
compared to baseline in the low-fat group, but not in the moderate-fat
group.

"These results show that although weight loss does improve the lipid
profile, a moderate-fat, weight-loss diet reduces risk more than a low-fat,
weight-loss diet, so dieters don't need to cut out all the fat to improve
their risk profile," Pelkman said. "Monounsaturated fats can be a healthy
part of a weight-loss diet."

Additional researchers on the study were Valerie K. Fishell, Deborah Maddox,
and Penny M. Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., all of Penn State; Thomas A. Pearson,
M.D., MPH, Ph.D., from the University of Rochester; and David T. Mauger,
Ph.D., from the Penn State College of Medicine.

The research was supported in part by the Peanut Institute.
--
Ken

"How did you feel when you stood up in the front
of the people for the State of the Union Address -
state of the budget address, whatever you call it."

- Bushism's, 2001

Moderate-Fat Diet is Kinder to Heart than Low-Fat Diet, Study by UB Researcher Shows
 

On Wed, 04 Feb 2004 09:40:24 -0600, Ignoramus16237
wrote:

Note that a typical low carb diet requires eating a lot more than the
"moderate fat intake" mentioned in the study. So it is not very
applicable to low carbers.


Noted.

But information is power and the post is information that low carbers
can use in their arsenal of weapons to fight heart disease now and in
the future when we might ease off the low carb WOE.
PJ

Moderate-Fat Diet is Kinder to Heart than Low-Fat Diet, Study by UB Researcher Shows
 

PJx wrote:

On Wed, 04 Feb 2004 09:40:24 -0600, Ignoramus16237
wrote:

Note that a typical low carb diet requires eating a lot more than the
"moderate fat intake" mentioned in the study. So it is not very
applicable to low carbers.


Noted.

But information is power and the post is information that low carbers
can use in their arsenal of weapons to fight heart disease now and in
the future when we might ease off the low carb WOE.
PJ

10 Words: Extra Virgin Cold Pressed Olive Oil: Nectar of the Gods.

I missed that stuff SO badly when on a low-fat vegan diet. That
stuff is so drool worthy. 120 calories per tablespoon, and while a
tablespoon might not seem like a lot volume wise, you get a LOT of
bang for your buck. It digests slowly, and is darn tasty, and really
keeps me satisfied for MUCH longer.

CM

Moderate-Fat Diet is Kinder to Heart than Low-Fat Diet, Studyby UB Researcher Shows
 

On 2/4/2004 10:49 AM, PJx wrote:
On Wed, 04 Feb 2004 09:40:24 -0600, Ignoramus16237
wrote:


Note that a typical low carb diet requires eating a lot more than the
"moderate fat intake" mentioned in the study. So it is not very
applicable to low carbers.



Noted.

But information is power and the post is information that low carbers
can use in their arsenal of weapons to fight heart disease now and in
the future when we might ease off the low carb WOE.
PJ

You do realize that they were comparing a group that was getting 18% of
calories from fat to one that was getting 33% of calories from fat?

http://my.webmd.com/content/article/81/96921.htm?lastselectedguid={5FE84E90-BC77-4056-A91C-9531713CA348}

--
jmk in NC

Moderate-Fat Diet is Kinder to Heart than Low-Fat Diet, Study by UB Researcher Shows
 

Good choice but, Yuck!!. Definitely an acquired taste in my book.

I've been trying to do a little olive oil for a couple of years now
and have just now started to actually like it.

I remember reading to try it on bread instead of margarine and
nearly gagged the first time I tried it. This morning, I added olive
oil to my daily piece of low carb bread and it made it better.

To show my dedication to olive oil in the diet, when I catch myself
not eating any olive oil for a day or two, I will swig a bit directly
from the bottle.

PJ



On Wed, 04 Feb 2004 12:02:47 -0400, Crafting Mom
wrote:

PJx wrote:

On Wed, 04 Feb 2004 09:40:24 -0600, Ignoramus16237
wrote:

Note that a typical low carb diet requires eating a lot more than the
"moderate fat intake" mentioned in the study. So it is not very
applicable to low carbers.


Noted.

But information is power and the post is information that low carbers
can use in their arsenal of weapons to fight heart disease now and in
the future when we might ease off the low carb WOE.
PJ

10 Words: Extra Virgin Cold Pressed Olive Oil: Nectar of the Gods.

I missed that stuff SO badly when on a low-fat vegan diet. That
stuff is so drool worthy. 120 calories per tablespoon, and while a
tablespoon might not seem like a lot volume wise, you get a LOT of
bang for your buck. It digests slowly, and is darn tasty, and really
keeps me satisfied for MUCH longer.

CM

Moderate-Fat Diet is Kinder to Heart than Low-Fat Diet, Study by UB Researcher Shows
 

PJx wrote in message . ..
On Wed, 04 Feb 2004 09:40:24 -0600, Ignoramus16237
wrote:

Note that a typical low carb diet requires eating a lot more than the
"moderate fat intake" mentioned in the study. So it is not very
applicable to low carbers.


Noted.

But information is power and the post is information that low carbers
can use in their arsenal of weapons to fight heart disease now and in
the future when we might ease off the low carb WOE.
PJ

And the important point is that the mainstream scientists predict that
more fat in the diet equals more heart disease and they are being
shown to be wrong, dead wrong.

TC

Moderate-Fat Diet is Kinder to Heart than Low-Fat Diet, Studyby UB Researcher Shows
 

Crafting Mom wrote:
Extra Virgin Cold Pressed Olive Oil: Nectar of the Gods.

Now I'm curious. I had once read about people "sipping oil", and I
didn't know whether it was meant literally, so one day I tried to
taste some olive oil by itself. (I think it was virgin but probably
not extra virgin cold pressed.) I thought it tasted awful without
anything else! But I'm delighted to use it to fry some spinach and
throw in a little cumin and curry and some cream.

Do you real sip it by itself?

Moderate-Fat Diet is Kinder to Heart than Low-Fat Diet, Study by UB Researcher Shows
 

I wouldn't get too excited over this study. They only looked at 50
people divided into two groups over a relatively short time span.
It's interesting, but far from conclusive.