Sticking To A Healthy Diet, Not The Type Of Diet, Is Key To Weight Loss

By: Tracy Lee

In a one-year study, researchers in Boston assessed the adherence rates and the effectiveness of four popular diets for weight loss and cardiac risk factor reduction. The four diets were Weight Watchers (restriction on portion sizes and calories); Atkins (minimize carbohydrate intake without fat restriction); Zone (modulate macronutrient balance and glycaemic load) and Ornish (fat restriction).

A total of 160 overweight or obese adults, aged 22 to 72 years, with known high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or high blood sugar, were randomly assigned to each of the four diets. After two months of maximum effort, participants selected their own level of dietary adherence (i.e. how closely they managed to stick to the plan).

Results showed that while each diet was modestly effective in reducing weight and several cardiac risk factors, increased self-reported adherence level (although overall rate was low) was associated with greater weight loss and cardiac risk factor reductions for each diet group. Hence, the key to losing weight may not lie with the type of diet, but rather sticking to the chosen diet.

In an accompanying editorial, it was pointed out that the best treatment of obesity is prevention by careful dietary monitoring and lifestyle changes, along with regular physical activity. Recently, the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association and the American Caner Society jointly recommended a higher intake of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and fish to reduce the incidences of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and stroke.

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Garcinia Cambogia
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Sleep and Lose Weight?
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Weight Loss for Women Over 40 Blog
Want to know how the latest happenings in the weight loss industry can affect you?  Is there something new in the market that can speed up your fat loss program?  If I find out anything worth reporting to you, it'll be in my blog.  Go check it out!

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