Low Fat Versus Low Carbohydrate Diet - The Debate Rages On

Results of another study on which diet works best were discussed this morning on the "Good Morning America" news show. The low carb diet, most recently made famous by Dr. Atkins, and the low fat diet, most recently made famous by Dr. Dean Ornish, were compared along with the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, and healthy fat sources like nuts and olive oil.

There were 322 subjects in the study, conducted by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, who were assigned to follow one of the three diets for a period of two years. The results: An average weight loss of 12 pounds for the subjects in the low carbohydrate diet group; an average weight loss of 10 pounds for those in the Mediterranean diet group, and a lower average of seven pounds lost by the members in the low-fat diet group. There were also health benefits found among the subjects, such as improved blood sugar levels and lowered total cholesterol/HDL ratios in the Mediterranean diet group.

My first thought: I don't think a twelve pound weight loss is deemed successful in anyone's mind. Many prominent physicians weighed in on the results, which are not conclusive in any of their opinions:

Dr. Paul Shekelle, director of the Southern California Evidence-Based Practice Center relates that his patients find the Mediterranean diet easier to follow. The Atkins diet seems to be the one people always have the hardest time following over any extended period of time (more than a few months).

Dr. Neal Barnard, founder and president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, found flaw with what the study called the "low fat" diet. It wasn't really the low fat diet advocated by Dr. Ornish that has 10% of the calories from fat; it was the diet recommended by the American Heart Association with no more than 30% of the calories from fat. Barnard stated, "I fear this study will be reported as a reason to load on the fat...In truth, none of the groups actually followed a low fat regimen".

Dr. Timothy Johnson on Good Morning America suggested taking the best components from each diet for optimal heath and had five tips to offer:

1. Cut down on refined carbohydrates

2. Cut down on saturated and trans fats

3. Increase intake of fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains

4. Exercise, of course

5. Cut overall calories

Dr. David Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at the Yale University School of Medicine had similar advice to Dr. Johson's: Rather than focusing on one single diet plan, the better approach is to take the best elements of each diet and combine them into a plan that works for each individual. Cut some fat but focus on the trans fats and saturated fats; cut some carbs but focus on the refined starches and simple sugars; adopt a Mediterranean diet but go easy on the refined bread and pasta, and be sure to control calories.

Wow! I couldn't have said it better myself. It all goes back to the dietitian's mantra, "everything in moderation".

Laurie Beebe, a registered dietitian certified in adult weight management, has transitioned into diet coaching. Coaching helps dramatically by allowing people to set their own goals and design their own action plans. Please visit Laurie's website, "Shaping Your Future" at mycoachlaurie.com mycoachlaurie.com for diet tips, links to great books and websites, or to sign up for a free monthly newsletter!