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LOW CARB DIET STUDIES

Research shows that a low carb diet may be the ideal way to go about losing weight. “I eat a lot of eggs and a lot of meat. I sometimes even have roast beef rolled up at lunch, with some mayonnaise.” It doesn’t sound like a recipe for weight loss, but Margaret Palmer has successfully lost 30 pounds on her Atkins low carb diet.

Now two new studies, one out of Duke University Medical Center, another out of the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, show some benefits to low carb diets, but with several caveats. There has been concern that because of the elevated fat intake in low carb diets, there could be a problem for individuals at risk for heart disease. The findings of these two studies are a mixed bag in terms of benefit, but it’s clear, cholesterol values are actually better on the low carb regimen.
The one year VA study is the largest and longest study to date comparing a traditional low fat, low calorie diet in obese individuals. Those in the low carbohydrate diet were simply instructed to eat no more than 30 grams of carbohydrates a day. That is approximately the same as eating half a bagel.
Dr. Linda Stern, the author of the Philadelphia V.A. study, says, “The subjects on the low carbohydrate diet had lower levels of triglycerides. And in the low fat group they tended to drop their high density lipids, which is not a desirable effect.”
The lower triglycerides might lower heart disease risk for patients like Byron Childress.
At one point, he weighed 260 pounds and developed diabetes. Dr. Stern put him on the Atkins low carbohydrate diet. Byron claims, “It’s lowered my blood sugar drastically, and also I actually feel much better. I’ve lost close to 35 pounds.”
“If you were going to lose ten pounds on a low carbohydrate diet versus ten pounds on a low fat diet, you may in fact be better off losing the weight on a low carbohydrate diet,” claims Dr. Stern.
But nutritionist Carla Wolper warns against being misled by the numbers, especially in light of the Philadelphia results, where no difference in weight loss was observed after a year. She believes, “The people in the low fat diet appear to be continuing to lose weight at the end of one year. But the people in the low carb diet appear to be gaining weight from six months on.”
Changes in the total and LDL, or bad cholesterol levels, were not different between the two diet regimens. And blood sugar values weren’t significantly different either, an important point for the diabetics.
Still, some patients, like Margaret and Byron, have found weight loss success on a low carbohydrate diet. “It’s so much easier getting around not carrying that extra 35 pounds,” exclaims Byron.
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