Low-carb and Mediterranean diets beat low-fat for weight-loss, lipid changes at two years
Beer-Sheva, Israel - Both a low-carbohydrate diet or a Mediterranean-style
diet may be "effective alternatives" to a low-fat diet, with more favorable effects on lipids and/or glycemic control, new research suggests [1]. The two-year study, which managed to keep almost 85% of the 322 study participants on one of the three diets for the entire period, offers the hope that weight-loss diets can be tailored to personal preferences, without sacrificing efficacy, researchers say. "Several recent one-year dietary studies have led the American Diabetes Association to state in January 2008 that low-carb diets should be considered for a maximum of one year," lead author on the study, Dr Iris Shai (Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel), told heartwire. "The current two-year study suggests that one low-fat diet doesn't fit all, meaning that the old paradigm should be reconsidered." http://www.theheart.org/viewArticle...._id=tho16jul08 |
Low-carb and Mediterranean diets beat low-fat for weight-loss, lipid changes at two years
Been doing the happy dance ever since I heard this on the evening news.
They emphasized the improvement in cholesterol. I'm so tired of people whining about what they can't eat because they have to watch their cholesterol and it's always fat. They'll have to excuse us long time low carbers for gloating a bit. Roger Zoul wrote: | Beer-Sheva, Israel - Both a low-carbohydrate diet or a | Mediterranean-style diet may be "effective alternatives" to a low-fat | diet, with more favorable effects on lipids and/or glycemic control, | new research suggests [1]. The two-year study, which managed to keep | almost 85% of the 322 study participants on one of the three diets | for the entire period, offers the hope that weight-loss diets can be | tailored to personal preferences, without sacrificing efficacy, | researchers say. "Several recent one-year dietary studies have led | the American Diabetes Association to state in January 2008 that | low-carb diets should be considered for a maximum of one year," lead | author on the study, Dr Iris Shai (Ben Gurion University of the | Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel), told heartwire. "The current two-year | study suggests that one low-fat diet doesn't fit all, meaning that | the old paradigm should be reconsidered." | | http://www.theheart.org/viewArticle...._id=tho16jul08 |
Low-carb and Mediterranean diets beat low-fat for weight-loss, lipid changes at two years
On Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:56:23 -0400, Roger Zoul wrote
(in article ): Beer-Sheva, Israel - Both a low-carbohydrate diet or a Mediterranean-style diet may be "effective alternatives" to a low-fat diet, with more favorable effects on lipids and/or glycemic control, new research suggests [1]. The two-year study, which managed to keep almost 85% of the 322 study participants on one of the three diets for the entire period, offers the hope that weight-loss diets can be tailored to personal preferences, without sacrificing efficacy, researchers say. A loss of 3 - 4 kilograms over a two year period is a bit underwhelming no matter what the diet. -- Steve ** Posted from http://www.teranews.com ** |
Low-carb and Mediterranean diets beat low-fat for weight-loss,lipid changes at two years
Roger Zoul wrote:
Beer-Sheva, Israel - Both a low-carbohydrate diet or a Mediterranean-style diet may be "effective alternatives" to a low-fat diet, with more favorable effects on lipids and/or glycemic control, new research suggests [1]. The two-year study, which managed to keep almost 85% of the 322 study participants on one of the three diets for the entire period, offers the hope that weight-loss diets can be tailored to personal preferences, without sacrificing efficacy, researchers say. "Several recent one-year dietary studies have led the American Diabetes Association to state in January 2008 that low-carb diets should be considered for a maximum of one year," lead author on the study, Dr Iris Shai (Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel), told heartwire. "The current two-year study suggests that one low-fat diet doesn't fit all, meaning that the old paradigm should be reconsidered." http://www.theheart.org/viewArticle...._id=tho16jul08 Shai I et al. Weight Loss with a Low-Carbohydrate, Mediterranean, or Low-Fat Diet. The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), Volume 359:229-241, July 17, 2008, Number 3 http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/359/3/229 elow the abstract of the study; "Background Trials comparing the effectiveness and safety of weight-loss diets are frequently limited by short follow-up times and high dropout rates. Methods In this 2-year trial, we randomly assigned 322 moderately obese subjects (mean age, 52 years; mean body-mass index [the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in ' meters], 31; male sex, 86%) to one of three diets: low-fat, restricted-calorie; Mediterranean, restricted-calorie; or low-carbohydrate, nonrestricted-calorie. Results The rate of adherence to a study diet was 95.4% at 1 year and 84.6% at 2 years. The Mediterranean-diet group consumed the largest amounts of dietary fiber and had the highest ratio of monounsaturated to saturated fat (P0.05 for all comparisons among treatment groups). The low-carbohydrate group consumed the smallest amount of carbohydrates and the largest amounts of fat, protein, and cholesterol and had the highest percentage of participants with detectable urinary ketones (P0.05 for all comparisons among treatment groups). The mean weight loss was 2.9 kg for the low-fat group, 4.4 kg for the Mediterranean-diet group, and 4.7 kg for the low-carbohydrate group (P0.001 for the interaction between diet group and time); among the 272 participants who completed the intervention, the mean weight losses were 3.3 kg, 4.6 kg, and 5.5 kg, respectively. The relative reduction in the ratio of total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was 20% in the low-carbohydrate group and 12% in the low-fat group (P=0.01). Among the 36 subjects with diabetes, changes in fasting plasma glucose and insulin levels were more favorable among those assigned to the Mediterranean diet than among those assigned to the low-fat diet (P0.001 for the interaction among diabetes and Mediterranean diet and time with respect to fasting glucose levels). Conclusions Mediterranean and low-carbohydrate diets may be effective alternatives to low-fat diets. The more favorable effects on lipids (with the low-carbohydrate diet) and on glycemic control (with the Mediterranean diet) suggest that personal preferences and metabolic considerations might inform individualized tailoring of dietary interventions." The full text of the article seems also to be free, although to read it a free registrations is probably required. The best news report about this study is probably Medscape's Low-Carb and Mediterranean Diets Beat Low-Fat for Weight Loss, Lipid Changes at 2 Years http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/577593?src=rss (requires free registration) Medscape's report is very clear, detailed and accurate. It presents some results in easily readable table format. Here is Medscape's presentation of the weight loss data: "Weight loss Group Low-fat (kg) Mediterranean (kg) Low-carb (kg) All patients 2.9 4.4 4.7 All completers 3.3 4.6 5.5 Men 3.4 4.0 4.9 Women 0.1 6.2 2.4" As can be seen the low-carb diet was best for men for weight loss, followed by the Mediterranean diet, but Mediterranean diet was the best for women, followed by the low-carb diet. Medscape's presentation of lipid changes is as follows: "Lipid changes Parameter Low-fat (mg/dL) Low-carb (mg/dL) Mediterranean (mg/dL) HDL +6.4 +8.4 +6.3 LDL 0.05 3.0 5.6 Triglycerides 2.8 23.7 21.8 Total 0.6 1.1 0.9 cholesterol/ HDL ratio" As can be seen, the important Total cholesterol/HDL ratio improved most in the low-carb diet and the Mediterranean diet was very close second. LDL was lowered most by Mediterranean diet followed by low-carb diet. Low-carb diet raised HDL most. Triglycerides were lowered most by low-carb and Mediterranean diets. Finally, below some selected comments from the end of the Medscape report: "- The mean BMI changes were 1.0, 1.5, and 1.5 kg/m2, respectively. - All groups had significant decreases in blood pressure and waist circumference, with no difference among the 3 groups. - Waist circumference was decreased by 2.8, 3.5, and 3.8 cm in the low-fat, Mediterranean, and low-carbohydrate groups, respectively. - Systolic blood pressure was reduced by 4.3, 5.5, and 3.9 mm Hg, respectively. - HDL cholesterol levels increased in all groups, with the greatest increase in the low-carbohydrate group (8.4 mg/dL). - Triglyceride levels decreased significantly, with the greatest decrease seen in the low-carbohydrate group (2.7 mg/dL). - The ratio of total to HDL cholesterol decreased in all 3 groups, greatest in the low-carbohydrate group (20%). - C-reactive protein decreased significantly in the Mediterranean and low-carbohydrate groups. - In the 36 participants with diabetes, only those in the Mediterranean group had a significant reduction in fasting plasma glucose levels (32.8 mg/dL). - Hemoglobin A1c rates decreased by 0.4%, 0.5%, and 0.9% in the low-fat, Mediterranean, and low-carbohydrate groups, respectively. - The Mediterranean and low-carbohydrate diets were feasible alternatives to the low-fat diet with some benefits, and personal preference could drive tailoring of diets for weight loss." Notice especially that the very important cardiovascular risk factor C-reactive protein (CRP) was reduced significantly only in the Mediterranean and low-carbohydrate groups. -- Matti Narkia http://ma.gnolia.com/groups/Nutrition |
Low-carb and Mediterranean diets beat low-fat for weight-loss, lipid changes at two years
Yes, but the lipids findings are significant. That should get the
low-fatters who always says we are heading for heart attacks off our backs making us much lighter. Steve wrote: | | A loss of 3 - 4 kilograms over a two year period is a bit | underwhelming no matter what the diet. |
Low-carb and Mediterranean diets beat low-fat for weight-loss, lipid changes at two years
FOB wrote in message ... Yes, but the lipids findings are significant. That should get the low-fatters who always says we are heading for heart attacks off our backs making us much lighter. Much lighter. :-) Cheri |
Low-carb and Mediterranean diets beat low-fat for weight-loss, lipid changes at two years
Dr. Eades has made some intresting preliminary comments on this study.
http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/weight-loss/low-carb-diet-trumps-low-fat-diet-yet-again/ Apparently there are a lot of questions, and the low-carb diet is certainly not standard LC, because LC participants were asked to raise carb intake to 120 g/day after the initial "induction" period. Meanwhile, the very-low-fat vegan starch-based diet proponent Dr. McDougall has come out strongly against the study's conclusions: http://www.drmcdougall.com/advertising_confuses_public.htm His primary complaints seem to be that (1) the "low-fat" diet was not really low-fat, with 30% of calories from fat (his plan runs around 7-10% fat), and (2) the Atkins Foundation funded the study. So nobody is happy with this one. I will go with my anectdotal, personal findings. On McDougall's program I lost quite a bit of weight. But I looked horrible, with really wrinkled skin, a very aged appearance. I had a lot of arthritic pain. And worst, I was hungry much of the time, no matter how much fat-free brown rice and beans I ate. I craved sugar. My hair became thin. My waistline underwent relative expansion, so I think my pre-existing insulin resistance worsened. LC allowed/allows me much easier weight loss, although slower, and my skin tone and body shape improved very noticeably. Like taking off 5-10 years! The waist/hip ration improved quickly. I actually found (and still find) myself eating more vegetables on LC than McDougall. And of course LC does away with the constant craving for food/sweets/starches. I can still remember, all these years later, how astonished I was, a couple weeks after starting LC, upon realizing I had completely forgotten to eat lunch! Never, never, never could have happened on vlf vegan like McDougall's plan. Hannah "Roger Zoul" wrote in message ... Beer-Sheva, Israel - Both a low-carbohydrate diet or a Mediterranean-style diet may be "effective alternatives" to a low-fat diet, with more favorable effects on lipids and/or glycemic control, new research suggests [1]. The two-year study, which managed to keep almost 85% of the 322 study participants on one of the three diets for the entire period, offers the hope that weight-loss diets can be tailored to personal preferences, without sacrificing efficacy, researchers say. "Several recent one-year dietary studies have led the American Diabetes Association to state in January 2008 that low-carb diets should be considered for a maximum of one year," lead author on the study, Dr Iris Shai (Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel), told heartwire. "The current two-year study suggests that one low-fat diet doesn't fit all, meaning that the old paradigm should be reconsidered." http://www.theheart.org/viewArticle...._id=tho16jul08 |
Low-carb and Mediterranean diets beat low-fat for weight-loss, lipid changes at two years
- In the 36 participants with diabetes, only those in the Mediterranean
group had a significant reduction in fasting plasma glucose levels (32.8 mg/dL). - Hemoglobin A1c rates decreased by 0.4%, 0.5%, and 0.9% in the low-fat, Mediterranean, and low-carbohydrate groups, respectively. Funny, these two statements seem to contradict each other... Take care, Hamburger |
Low-carb and Mediterranean diets beat low-fat for weight-loss,lipid changes at two years
"Hannah Gruen" wrote:
Dr. Eades has made some intresting preliminary comments on this study. http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/weight-loss/low-carb-diet-trumps-l... Thanks for the pointers to Eades and McDougall. Apparently there are a lot of questions, and the low-carb diet is certainly not standard LC, because LC participants were asked to raise carb intake to 120 g/day after the initial "induction" period. The level of 120 grams per day is above my maintenance limit. If I eat that much carb my appetite starts going up and my weight starts drfting up. It makes me wonder why they'd put folks on 2 months at 20, then put them at a level that will be over their maintenance limit for some. It doesn't make sense. Why not have them actually try, you know, either the real Atkins plan or the real Eades plan? Meanwhile, the very-low-fat vegan starch-based diet proponent Dr. McDougall has come out strongly against the study's conclusions: http://www.drmcdougall.com/advertising_confuses_public.htm His primary complaints seem to be that (1) the "low-fat" diet was not really low-fat, with 30% of calories from fat (his plan runs around 7-10% fat), and If they aren't doing a real low carb plan why should anyone expect they do a real low fat plan. Sigh. (2) the Atkins Foundation funded the study. This is both valid and invalid at the same time. It's valid because the Atkins Foundation can't be expected to fund a project that looks in advance like low carb is going to lose - Which makes it even more bizzare that they picked a level hign enough to exceed the mainteance limit of some. It's invalid because studies get duplicated when they are in doubt. So nobody is happy with this one. I will go with my anectdotal, personal findings. On McDougall's program I lost quite a bit of weight. But I looked horrible, with really wrinkled skin, a very aged appearance. I had a lot of arthritic pain. And worst, I was hungry much of the time, no matter how much fat-free brown rice and beans I ate. I craved sugar. My hair became thin. My waistline underwent relative expansion, so I think my pre-existing insulin resistance worsened. I tried low fat for 20 years, gained 50 pounds, was constantly hungry. I am well aware that low fat works for some percentage of the population, I'm just not in that percentage. LC allowed/allows me much easier weight loss, I think this is the single largest advantage low carb has - For so many people it turns off the cravings, turns down the appetite. It no longer triggers hunger to gradually reduce portion sizes. although slower, and my skin tone and body shape improved very noticeably. Like taking off 5-10 years! The gray in my hair saw about 5 years worth of set back in its advance. The waist/hip ration improved quickly. I wish I'd seen that bit. I actually found (and still find) myself eating more vegetables on LC than McDougall. Yeah. Eating veggies is the low carb way. Strange how that worked out. Strange enough that people who have never tried low carb don't think it's a feature of the system. |
Low-carb and Mediterranean diets beat low-fat for weight-loss,lipid changes at two years
Hamburger wrote:
- In the 36 participants with diabetes, only those in the Mediterranean group had a significant reduction in fasting plasma glucose levels (32.8 mg/dL). - Hemoglobin A1c rates decreased by 0.4%, 0.5%, and 0.9% in the low-fat, Mediterranean, and low-carbohydrate groups, respectively. Funny, these two statements seem to contradict each other... Good observation. I noticed the same thing and quietly wondered about it, too. From the Figure 4. Changes in Biomarkers According to Diet Group and Presence or Absence of Type 2 Diabetes. http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/359/3/229/F4 you can see, that fasting plasma glucose reductions of diabetic people in the Mediterranean diet and low-carb diet groups were very close to each other at 12 months, -23.6 and -18.1, respectively, but after that Mediterranean diet group continued downward trend, but the trend of the low-carb group turned upwards, so that at 24 months the Mediterranean group was at -32.8, but the low-carb group had 1.2 _increase_. I wonder what happened after 12 months to cause this swing upwards in the low-carb group? The reduction of HOMA-IR (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance) was also largest in the Mediterranean group followed by the low-carb group and smallest in the low-fat group. But why the reduction of HbA1c behaved differently from fasting plasma glucose and HOMA-IR, so that it was larger in low-carb group than in the Mediterranean group, is a mystery to me, too. I wish that the authors had handled this in the Discussion chapter or elsewhere in the text, but apparently they didn't. Perhaps people familiar with diabetes could have some kind of explanation or speculation about this? -- Matti Narkia http://ma.gnolia.com/groups/Nutrition |
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