Two Year Study Compares Diets

      A two year study has just been completed that compared the Mediterranean Style Diet, The Atkins Diet ( low-carbs), and a low-fat diet. They have concluded that the low-carb and Mediterranean were more effective at weight loss than the low-fat diet.



     Surprisingly it was also found that the Mediterranean and low-carb diets helped to improve the participants cholesterol levels more than the low-fat, even though they had more fat than the low-fat diets allowed.



     All three diets did help people lose weight and improve cholesterol. This study is said to be the longest and largest of its kind and even boasts that 85% of the participants stuck with it for the two year period. There were 322 people in the study which was conducted at a nuclear research place in Israel. The participants ate their lunch at a controlled cafeteria as that was the main meal of the day and they were instructed carefully about what to eat for the other two meals and had to write down everything they ate.



    Those on the low-fat diet were allowed 30% of calories from fat and were restricted on the amount of calories and cholesterol. They were encouraged to eat low-fat grains, fruits, and vegetables.

     The Mediterranean diet encouraged participants to eat poultry, fish, olive oil, and nuts, and had just about the same restrictions on fat, calories, and cholesterol as on the low-fat diet.

     The low-carb diet limited carbs, but not the fat or calories, and encouraged people to eat their fats and proteins from vegetarian sources.



     There were more men than woman in the study and they all had about the same amount of exercise. The low-carb group lost 10.3 pounds, the Mediterranean group lost 10, and the low-fat dieters lost 6.5 pounds.



     My conclusion on one point of this study is that it shows it's better to include more good fats than it is to just limit fats all together.