Low-Fat Diets Best

Most recent studies found that low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets promote weight loss best during the first six months of dieting. At 12 months, weight loss is equal on any low-calorie diet program. A three-year study from the University of Pennsylvania, led by Marion Vetter, showed that people consuming low-fat diets maintained lost weight better than people consuming low-carb, Atkins-type diets. The test subjects were severely obese (average weight 288 pounds with a body mass index of 43). During the first six months of dieting, a low-carb group lost 13 pounds, while a low-fat group lost only 4.5 pounds. After three years, the low-carb diet group regained all the lost weight, while the low-fat group was 10 pounds lighter than when they began. Both groups were still obese, and showed no change in hemoglobin A1C— a measure of blood sugar control. People who lost the most weight during the early phases of the study were most likely to regain it. The most successful “losers” were those who made small, but sustained changes in diet. (Annals of Internal Medicine, 152: 334-335)