In a perspective piece published by The New York Times, Indiana University pediatrics professor and healthcare blogger Aaron E. Carroll, MD, offered his take on a recent JAMA study showing near-equal weight loss with a low-fat versus a low-carbohydrate diet.
Over a 12-month period, 609 otherwise healthy adults with a body mass index between 28 and 40 lost an average of 11.7 pounds with the low-fat diet and an average of 13.2 pounds with the low-carb diet.
Carroll noted genetics didn’t appear to make a difference in the results and that most people in the study were obese and received significant support on the diet throughout the trial. For these reasons, it may be hard to replicate that amount of weight loss for people closer to “normal” weight or for those who don’t have the same level of support.
But what the trial did show, Carroll said, is persistence is the key to any diet and often more important than what food is being restricted.
“You should be wary of those who tell you that they know what diet is best for you, or that there’s a test out there to tell you the same. Successful diets over the long haul are most likely ones that involve slow and steady changes,” Carroll wrote.
“The simplest approach … is to cut out processed foods, think about the calories you’re drinking, and try not to eat more than you intend to. The bottom line is that the best diet for you is still the one you will stick to.”
Read the full article below:
Daniel joined TriMed’s Chicago editorial team in 2017 as a Cardiovascular Business writer. He previously worked as a writer for daily newspapers in North Dakota and Indiana.