Atkin's diet beats other diets in study

by Brian White (Subscribe to Brian White's posts)
Mar 7th 2007 7:48AM

Categories: Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements

Which recent diet method is the best at keeping off weight and actually being healthy? According to results out of a new study, the low-carb, high-fat Atkins diet is the best. Runner ups include the Zone diet, the Ornish diet and others in one of the biggest and longest head-to-head studies of popular weight-loss plans.

Even with the results that placed the Atkins diet first, the study's critics say that it is still very hard to lose weight and keep it off. Specifically, overweight women on the Atkins plan lost more weight over a year than those on the low-carb Zone diet, as this study centered on women only.

The Stanford research team that ran and published the study say that the Atkins diet now should be considered a more healthy diet than most, even while critics of the study conclude that it was not a fair comparison -- because by the end, few women were following any of the diets very strictly. That's a good point -- if the diet is not followed except leisurely, are the results worth anything?

Source

Comments (3)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Sha 3-07-2007 @ 9:01AM

I'm a firm believer in the Atkins Diet. I've been "dieting" since I was 16. Low fat diets seemed to have a lot of processed ingredients and chemical additives. Making me feel lethargic all the time. Didn't stick to that very long. The zone left me thinking too much about my food. I'm not a big fan of math. Since I started the Atkins diet two years ago I eat foods that are much better for me, i.e., raw veggies, even whole grain foods, foods that have not been processed. Which if you read between the lines is really what the Atkins diet is about. It is not about eating excessive amounts of meat, it is rather a concentration on making sure you eat the right amounts of the right foods. Even proteins in high amounts can turn into sugar after metabolizing. I drink a lot more fluids, make sure the juice I drink is all natural without added sugar and make sure I get plenty of fiber. I had no idea, before Atkins, the amount of sugar I was consuming, through bread, rice, pasta and the like. The best thing is I haven't completely cut these items out of my diet. I just make sure if I have them every once in a while to work out a little more that week/day and lessen my carb intake the next day. As with anything in life it is about balance. And you MUST workout, there is no way to get around it. If you want to be healthy, which is what your diet should be about... you must workout. If your goal is just to be thin, you may achieve it, but it won't last long... Have a healthy one!

Patty 3-07-2007 @ 1:06PM

I had great results with Atkins. My main problem was that I missed eating fruit BADLY.

Jude Brown 3-08-2007 @ 3:28AM

Diets and dieting are a waste of time. The diet craze is exactly why places like Canada, the US and the UK are having such issues with obesity. Being healthy is a lifestyle you learn to adopt and live with - heck even enjoy!

While I am happy for anyone who is able to reach their goals in their own way, I still have issue with Atkins. Specifically early Atkins marketing which still persists today. There are those like the above who do it well and then there are people I know who live off of bacon and don't touch fruit and veg. They yo yo back and forth - up 5 down 5 up five down 5. Not healthy.

I find it interesting that the human body, perfected over hundreds of years, constantly evolving and designed to digest a range of foods is constantly being undermined by diet fads invented over a few years or less. Frenzies that are fueled by those looking for an easy way out.

Sorry diets and dieting are pet peeves of mine.