Recently, an interesting study from Stanford University was presented at an American Hearth Association conference in San Francisco last week.

A simple DNA test could predict what kind of weight-loss diet — either low-carb or low-fat — would work best for the person to lose weight, according to a study by Stanford Univ. The women who followed a weight-loss diet that best fit their genes for a year lost two to three times more than those on the “wrong” diet, the study showed. Based on genetic makeup, the researchers divided people into three genotypes: low-carb-diet responsive, low-fat-diet responsive and balanced-diet responsive.

The diets were modeled after three popular diets (Atkins, Zone, and Ornish) and the U.S.D.A Food Pyramid. In this way, the researchers apparently attempted to include diets which were very low in carbohydrates, very low in fats, moderately low in carbs, and “standard diet recommendations”.

As Jennifer Thomas of HealthDay reports:

“Women assigned to the correct diet based on their genotype lost two to three times more weight at 12 months than those who were assigned to a diet that was inappropriate. When the researchers looked at only the most extreme diets (Atkins versus Ornish), the results were even more stark. Women assigned to their correct diet for their genotype lost five times as much weight as those on the incorrect diet, the study found.”

Before we get too excited about it, the researchers are quick to emphasize that this is a very initial study and more works have to be done before you can draw any conclusion.

Here are some conclusions drawn:

- A small 2005 study has showed that people who were insulin resistant tend to lose more weight on a low-carb diet while people who were normal in terms of insulin did better on a low-fat diet.

- People who are going to benefit the most from cutting carbs have underlying issues with insulin and glucose. They don’t process sugar well and it is to have less of it, and all carbs are sugar. So I would guess that some of these genes are involved with carbohydrate/sugar metabolism.

- Some of the genes in the study are apparently involved with fat metabolism, which also makes sense in terms of what kind of diet would be best for an individual.

- One of the frustrating things about large diet studies is that while we are told the differences in the outcomes between the diet groups (which is often small), we are usually not even given hints of how much difference in outcome there was between the people within each diet group.

If some people did great and some did terrible, the fact that there was a mediocre average simply does not tell the tale. We need to know why some people did great and some did terrible. This has usually been chocked up to compliance (the people who did terrible didn’t “follow the rules”).

But what if it was because of factors which had nothing to do with compliance and everything to do with a person’s genetics and metabolism and physiology?

[Source: HealthNews]

The Mayo Clinic staff has resisted the word “diet” for years. Since most people use the word “diet” when searching for information on healthy eating, the Mayo staff decided to use the word in their newest book – The Mayo Clinic Diet, which hit store shelves last month.

“People don’t need us to tell them to eat less and exercise more. They know that. The Mayo Clinic Diet is divided It is a two-week jumpstart phase where people make sudden changes in their habits. We believe it’s the healthiest way to lose weight quickly that there is.” said Dr. Donald Hensrud of the Mayo Clinic.

In the two week “Lose It” phase, you’re supposed to add five new habits:

1. Eat a healthy breakfast.
2. Eat at least four servings of veggies and three servings of fruits each day.
3. Eat whole grains.
4. Eat healthy fats.
5. Exercise at least 30 minutes a day.

The Mayo Clinic Diet also advises people to break five habits during the first two weeks.

No TV while eating. Dieters can also only spend as much time watching TV as the time they’ve spent exercising. “It’s been shown in medical studies that the more TV someone watches, the greater their risk of increased weight,” said Hensrud.

“If I knew that I wanted to watch a TV show, I just knew that I needed to get in the car and go to the gym,” said Jenny Nosbisch.

Here are the other habits to break during the jump-start “Lose It” phase:

1. No sugar, except what’s found naturally in fruit.
2. No snacks except fruits and veggies.
3. No big portions of meat or high-fat dairy.
4. No restaurants unless the meal fits your plan.

“First two weeks, we both lost over nine pounds,” said Don Nosbisch.

“Once you saw those first nine go, then it was like, ‘We can do this,’” said Jenny Nosbisch.

What comes next, the “Live It” phase, is pretty simple. It involves setting goals, working out and eating according to the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid. That pyramid calls for eating more of the low-calorie fruits and veggies and less of the high-calorie sweets.

If you eat more of the healthy foods, you can actually eat more and feel fuller.

==>>> Read the review: 2010 Weight Loss Book: The Mayo Clinic Diet

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Recently, the Drive-Thru-Diet campaign at Taco Bell has stunned quite a number of dietitians and nutritionists. According to a registered dietitian named Jessica Baye who said that

“The nutritional quality of her diet can’t be very good,” said Baye, of Medical College of Georgia Hospital. “Yeah, you might lose the weight, but you’re certainly not going to be healthy.”

Althought the idea of the fast-food Mexican restaurant serving as a nutritional beacon sounds wonderful to some, there are many ways to eat better in those places and, just as importantly, simple things to avoid when choosing seemingly healthier alternatives.

The Taco Bell ads feature a woman identified as Christine, who chose items that evidently are lower in calories and fat than some other menu items. She lost 54 pounds over two years by lowering her fat intake and reducing her consumption by 500 calories a day, according to the campaign’s Web site.

Taco Bell offers seven items with 8 grams of fat or less, though three of them have more than 300 calories apiece. The program also has a big disclaimer: “Drive-Thru-Diet is not a weight-loss program. For a healthier lifestyle, pay attention to total calorie and fat intake.”

That, experts say, is the key. “It is all about quantity and portion size,” Baye said.

More restaurants appear to be catering to those who want to limit calories and fat by offering healthier alternatives. That can be a good thing, said Dr. Charles Stuart Platkin, the creator of DietDetective.com.

“I think it does help to make a difference,” he said. “People might make better choices if they have the choice to start with. At least it is a starting point.”

Listing calorie counts on menus has been shown to help those who are concerned about it, but it is unclear whether everyone is paying attention, Platkin said.

Even restaurants such as Subway that tout healthier fast food can be traps. Some studies showed that people who went there often consumed more high-calorie side dishes or ate more than intended, said Dr. Jennifer L. Harris of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University.

“We think there is kind of a ‘health halo’ effect that makes people feel better about going there, and then they end up eating more,” she said.

It is important to pay attention to the details, especially when looking at the ads for these healthier alternatives, Baye said.

“When they say it is 100 calories, make sure you read the little fine print that says there is no cheese on this sandwich; there’s no mayonnaise,” she said.

[Source: The Augusta Chronicle]

TIPS: Read this article: 3 Ways To Eat Fast Food And Drop Bodyfat!