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Diets: 4 things you need to know
According to the CDC, even modest weight loss can produce major health benefits, including improved blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood sugars. However, there is no shortage of diets claiming to be the best at losing the most weight in the shortest amount of time.
The CDC recommends losing weight gradually, balancing calories consumer against calories burned. Eating plans should emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat milk products, and also include lean meats, fish, beans, eggs and nuts. Saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt and added sugars should be kept to a minimum.
Based on recent study findings and research, here are 4 things you should know about diets:
Long-term weight loss may be more likely under a low-fat diet.
According to research presented at the Endocrine Society’s ENDO 2015 meeting, reduced-carbohydrate diets appear to burn fat more quickly — before plateauing — compared to cutting the same number of calories from dietary fat. However, the low-fat regimens nonetheless seemed to lead to more total body fat loss.
The research indicated that the reduced fat diet led to about 80% more body fat loss compared to the reduced-carbohydrate diet. Read more.
High-protein diets may put adults with cardiovascular disease at risk of weight gain and mortality.
Adults at high risk for cardiovascular disease should avoid a high-protein diet, which could put them at a greater risk for weight gain and death, according to research presented at the European Obesity Conference in Prague.
The research stated that diets high in protein were significantly associate with a 90% greater risk of more than 10% weight gain when protein replaced carbohydrates, but not when protein replaced fat. In addition, high protein intake was associated with a greater risk for all-cause mortality when substituted for both carbohydrates and fat. Read more.
Gradual and rapid weight-loss diets have seem similar rates of weight regain.
Compared with rapid weight loss, losing weight at a slow and steady pace did not reduce how much was gain back, nor did it reduce the rate of weight regain, according to findings published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.
In the study, 81% of those in the rapid weight-loss group lost at least 12.5% of their body weight, compared to 62% of the gradual weight participants. Among those in the gradual weight-loss group who lost at least 12.5% of their weight, hip circumference decreased significantly more compared to those in the in the rapid weight loss group who lost the same percentage.
Similar weight regain was found in both groups after the 3-year weight maintenance diet. Read more.
There may multiple benefits to the Mediterranean diet.
Adhering to a Mediterranean diet, rich in fruits, vegetables and legumes, was found to be associated with beneficial microbiome and metabolome profiles, according to a study published in Gut in September 2015.
In addition, results of a randomized trial in Spain found that a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil may reduce the risk of breast cancer.
Also, a Portuguese study found the Mediterranean diet, combined with physical exercise, might have a protective role in the development and progression of age-related macular degeneration.
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