By: Joann Bally CSCS
Yet another diet comparison study was in the headlines recently. Published in the March 7, 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, it compared Atkins, Zone, LEARN, and Ornish diets. Atkins is high protein, high fat, low carbohydrate; Zone is 40-30-30 protein, fat, carb; LEARN, based on national recommendations, is high carb, low fat; Ornish is very high carb, very low fat. All of these diets have been around a while and are not as popular as they once were.
Overweight and obese premenopausal women were randomly assigned to follow one of the diets for 12 months. At baseline their average weight was 187 pounds. After 12 month, Atkins dieters lost an average 10.34 lb, Zone 3.52 lb, LEARN 5.72 lb, and Ornish 4.82 lb. Atkins dieters also had the best improvements in blood lipids and blood pressure. Researchers concluded a high fat, high protein, low carb diet could be recommended for weight loss. (Note that the idea that a high fat diet is good for you is far from universally accepted by nutrition experts.)
But wait. Here’s a little graph in the article, Figure 2. Figure 2 shows that all dieters had the largest weight loss in the first 2 months of the study. Zone at 6 months is fairly even but gains a little by 12 months. Ornish stays fairly even. LEARN dieters lose a little more by 6 months but regain it by the 12 month mark. Atkins is the only diet that shows appreciable weight loss between months 2 and 6, but by month 12 the dieters are back where they were at month 2. By the end of the study it seems that all the groups were in the process of regaining the weight they had lost.
What this study really shows is what we already knew—no diets really work in the long run. Besides, how many people do you know who would be satisfied with a 10-lb weight loss after sticking with a diet for a year? These women probably could have lost 10 lb by eating the way they were doing before the study and walking an extra mile a day. Base your weight loss efforts on increasing physical activity, cutting out junk food, and making positive lifestyle changes that work for you.
Related using the H&F.com
Search:
Mediterranean Diet proves heart healthy
HEALTHandFITNESS.com 
