It's interesting that the low-carb dieters were encouraged to choose vegetarian sources of fat and protein. I'd be interested in seeing what their meal plans looked like.

I'm low carb and eat a lot more vegetables than meat. Just because people SAY Atkins is all about bacon, cheese and steak doesn't mean it really is. Anyone who has read Dr. Atkins books would know better.

Off-topic: Kim I got so excited when I saw that this morning on the TV at the gym. I was going to post it for you but you beat me to the punch!

About a year ago, I had a consult with the doctor heading our local weight management clinic (excellent reputation, but I couldn't afford it - still she gave me a lot of advice that really changed my life, so my consultation was worth the cost of the entire program to me, and I didn't have to pay anything for it).

She told me to expect more and more research coming out vindicating Atkins and other low-carb food plans (she and her husband each lost abot 100 lbs on low carb), when they're done appropriately. It's cool to see.

My doctor wholeheartedly approved my food change. I had blood work and a urinalysis done before I started and it showed high cholesterol among other things.

I had another done after 6 weeks of diet/exercise change and it showed a significant improvement.

I'm actually scheduled to go back in for another blood workup on Monday. Will let you all know how it goes.

I found the 2 segments very interesting:

"The new study's results favored the Atkins-like approach less when subgroups such as diabetics and women were examined.

Among the 36 diabetics, only those on the Mediterranean diet lowered blood sugar levels. Among the 45 women, those on the Mediterranean diet lost the most weight."
So, women and diabetics need wine and olive oil? Who knew?


"The heart association has long recommended low-fat diets to reduce heart risks, but some of its leaders have noted the Mediterranean diet has also proven safe and effective.

The heart association recommends a low-fat diet even more restrictive than the one in the study, said Dr. Robert Eckel, the association's past president who is a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado-Denver.

It does not recommend the Atkins diet. However, a low-carb approach is consistent with heart association guidelines so long as there are limitations on the kinds of saturated fats often consumed by people on the Atkins diet, Eckel said."

I wonder why the low fat group wasn't put on a diet more in alignment with the AHA recommendations and I wonder what the results would have been if they had.

I am tending to eat along the lines of a Mediterranean diet, so cool (I still need to work on increasing my vegetable intake, which I'm doing). However, I don't think I'm getting in enough wine...I need to work on that. Seems like wine would be better than drinking grape juice. Wouldn't grape juice (depending on the sugar content) spike a sugar response more than wine?

This was an interesting study, mainly because the low carb group was advised to choose vegetarian sources of fat and protein, which is healthier.

It might also be interesting to note that the Mediterranean diet resulted in virtually the same amount of weight loss as the low carb diet with just a third of a pound difference overall. Also, the low carb diet had the highest fallout rate with 78% adherence, and the Med diet had 85% adherence. Wouldn't this mean the Mediterranean diet is a better choice?

However, it's still a very depressing study no matter which plan you choose. Like most similar studies before it, the so called 'success' is dismal. Average weight loss was just 10lbs over the course of two whole years! That's not a glowing testimonial to any of the diets studied.

Hey, I'm not sure if this was directed at me, but I wasn't trying to imply that Atkins was "all about bacon, cheese and steak" at all. I've actually read Dr. Atkins' book. However, without making an over-arching statement about the whole way of life, when you do look at the Induction list, there are relatively few non-animal sources of fat and protein. I realize that Induction is only a two-week period, but I would venture to say that a substantial portion of people on this plan get the majority of their protein from animal sources. That's why that part of the article caught my eye.

That's what I wondered as well. It isn't really a test of a low-fat diet if the "low-fat" group wasn't really on a low-fat diet. They barely reduced the amount of fat in their diet at all.

Sorry didn't mean to come across as if it was directed at you, it was more just a general statement after listening to the news report and hearing the female reporter Ann Curry say, "We're not talking talking about the Atkins diet that involves bacon, cheese and steak. so what exactly are we talking about?"

I just seem to be having one of those days where every post I write comes out wrong and offends someone. Sorry if it did.

I think it's also worthwhile to note that according to a follow-up newsweek article, the low fat diet wasn't really all that low fat. They lowered the fat intake by only 3%. I think this is a weird study and according to the author, partly funded by the Atkins organization.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/146641

It's important to note that Dr. Ornish isn't necessarily anti-Atkins or low-carb, but he was critical of this study in particular.

Oh I agree Kim. It was just the way she came across (to me) that kind of bugged me...the way she said it seemed like she was implying that Atkins was all about bacon, cheese and steak. Anyway, that's why I made the post I did and partially why it sounded a bit cranky.