drtbear1967
Musclechemistry Board Certified Member
How many diets have you tried? Dansinger et al decided to compare weight loss following four different diets. Overweight people were randomly assigned to one of the following diets for 12 months:
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1⃣ A low carb diet: Atkins (<50g carbs per day)
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2⃣ A low fat vegetarian diet: Ornish (10% fat)
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3⃣ Counting calories: Weight Watchers (1200-1600 kcal per day)
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4⃣ A balanced low GI diet: Zone (40-30-30)
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Participants received the diet book and 4 hours of counselling about the diets, and were then left to make changes on their own. The result?
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Similar weight loss in all groups. The study was unfortunately too small to know if there was any differences between groups, but all diets lead to 4-6 kg weight loss. In addition to losing weight, pretty much all groups improved blood cholesterol levels (HDL, LDL), reduced their inflammation (CRP) and improved short-term insulin levels. In other words, risk of getting a heart attack or stroke was reduced in all groups. But here’s the interesting finding: the study also looked at the participants’ ability to STICK to their assigned diets (adherence).
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Turns out that weight loss success was strongly linked adherence rather than which diet participants were given. Unsurprisingly, adherence decreased over time, and most participants rated it a 6 out of 10. So this study was actually comparing the effects of telling people to eat a certain diet, as opposed to seeing the effect of a group where 100% of the people actually fully follow a diet.
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Practical takeaway: Choose the diet that you most easily can implement into your lifestyle, “low carb” or “counting calories” means nothing if you are cheating and can’t stick to it.
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THE EVIDENCE: Dansinger ML, Gleason JA, Griffith JL, Selker HP, Schaefer EJ. Comparison of the Atkins, Ornish, Weight Watchers, and Zone diets for weight loss and heart disease risk reduction: a randomized trial. JAMA. 2005;293(1):43-53.
.
1⃣ A low carb diet: Atkins (<50g carbs per day)
.
2⃣ A low fat vegetarian diet: Ornish (10% fat)
.
3⃣ Counting calories: Weight Watchers (1200-1600 kcal per day)
.
4⃣ A balanced low GI diet: Zone (40-30-30)
.
Participants received the diet book and 4 hours of counselling about the diets, and were then left to make changes on their own. The result?
.
Similar weight loss in all groups. The study was unfortunately too small to know if there was any differences between groups, but all diets lead to 4-6 kg weight loss. In addition to losing weight, pretty much all groups improved blood cholesterol levels (HDL, LDL), reduced their inflammation (CRP) and improved short-term insulin levels. In other words, risk of getting a heart attack or stroke was reduced in all groups. But here’s the interesting finding: the study also looked at the participants’ ability to STICK to their assigned diets (adherence).
.
Turns out that weight loss success was strongly linked adherence rather than which diet participants were given. Unsurprisingly, adherence decreased over time, and most participants rated it a 6 out of 10. So this study was actually comparing the effects of telling people to eat a certain diet, as opposed to seeing the effect of a group where 100% of the people actually fully follow a diet.
.
Practical takeaway: Choose the diet that you most easily can implement into your lifestyle, “low carb” or “counting calories” means nothing if you are cheating and can’t stick to it.
______________
.
THE EVIDENCE: Dansinger ML, Gleason JA, Griffith JL, Selker HP, Schaefer EJ. Comparison of the Atkins, Ornish, Weight Watchers, and Zone diets for weight loss and heart disease risk reduction: a randomized trial. JAMA. 2005;293(1):43-53.
