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Diet comparison: Mediterrranean vs Low-Carb
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Is there one diet that's best for losing weight? That's the debate that simmers in weight-loss circles and occasionally boils into a full diet fad.
Now, research suggests that both the low-carbohydrate approach and the Mediterranean diet - fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, yogurt as well as olive oil and wine - are safe and effective options for weight loss.
The latest findings come from a two-year Harvard study of 322 moderately obese, middle-aged Israelis. The results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that "Mediterranean and low-carbohydrate diets may be effective alternatives to low-fat diets." (The research was partly funded by the foundation of the late diet doctor Robert C. Atkins, a staunch proponent of the low-carbohydrate, high-protein approach.)
Calories count
But before you add meat and butter (low-carb) to every meal or begin liberally pouring olive oil and wine (Mediterranean), "From a weight-loss perspective, it all comes down to calories," says Gary Foster, director of Temple University's Center for Obesity Research and Education.
Another caveat: 86 percent of participants in the Harvard study were men. Men have more muscle and less fat than women - a fact that makes weight loss easier.
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Participants were all employees of a research center in Dimona, Israel, and were randomly assigned to a low-fat diet, a low-carb diet or a Mediterranean diet.
The low-carb group shed pounds the quickest during the first six months of the study. But after about 11 months, the Mediterranean and the low-carb groups were not statistically different. Both shed more weight than the low-fat group.
Blood pressure
Men and women on all three diets significantly whittled their waistlines and improved blood pressure, but no diet proved best.
"The first take-home message is that if you are embarking on weight loss, start with a low-carbohydrate or Mediterranean diet," said Dr. Meir Stampfer, professor at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital and a co-author of the study.
Participants were urged to eat fish and chicken without the skin. The choice of healthy protein is key, Dr. Stampfer said.
For diet longevity, the low-fat group did best: 90 percent stayed with the plan for two years, followed by 85 percent for the Mediterranean group and 78 percent for the low-carbohydrate group.
"You have to choose a diet that you can stick with for the rest of your life," Dr. Stampfer said.
By SALLY SQUIRES
Source: Dallas Morning NewsAll rights reserved.