In a message dated 1/31/03 12:12:43 AM Eastern Standard Time, [log in to unmask]
writes:

> For example, the two women who won Gold Medals in the Olympics while on the
> Zone Diet, ate approximately 70% of their diet in fat...
>

I have several Zone books and there is no way that a 70% fat diet is even
remotely close to the low-fat recommendations of Sears.  Below is a letter
Sears wrote in response to an article about the Zone Diet which appeared in
the Boston Globe.  I have bolded Sears' description of the fat content of his
diet.


Reply to the food editor of the Boston Globe, January 2003

January 15, 2003

Food Editor
Boston Globe
135 Morrisey Blvd.
Boston, MA 02125

Dear Sir:

I had the opportunity to read the article by Ms. Alison Arnett entitled "Here
we go again" in the Jan. 15 issue of the Boston Globe. Unfortunately, it
appears that Ms. Arnett has never read my books on insulin control technology
as she refers to the Zone Diet as high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. On the
Zone Diet, you are always eating more carbohydrates than protein at every
meal. Therefore a more correct description of the Zone Diet would be a
moderate-protein, moderate-carbohydrate diet. The amount of protein
recommended on the Zone is very similar to what Americans are currently
consuming. The amount of fruits and vegetables that are recommended on the
Zone Diet is nearly three times the amounts recommended by U.S. government,
even though the amount of total carbohydrates is lower. Finally the amount of
fat consumed on the Zone Diet is actually lower than recommended by the U.S.
government. Furthermore, the fat is composed primarily of heart-healthy
monounsaturated fat. It is only by following the recommendations of the Zone
Diet that you can keep the hormone insulin in an appropriate zone that is not
too high nor too low.
In academic circles, the Zone Diet would be called a low glycemic-load diet.
Numerous articles in publications such as the Journal of the American Medical
Association have commented on the nutritional and hormonal benefits of low
glycemic-load diets such as the Zone Diet (1-5). Furthermore, every published
study that has compared under isocaloric conditions the Zone Diet to the
recommendations put forward by the U.S. government has found that the Zone
Diet consistently generates superior clinical results (6-10).
Ironically Ms. Arnett poses the question in her article "Would we ever do
anything sensible like eat in moderation?" The answer is yes, since the Zone
Diet is based on moderation -- moderation in protein, moderation in
carbohydrates, moderation in fat and moderation in calories. Of course, she
would have known that if she had actually read my books

Respectfully yours,



Barry Sears, Ph.D.
President


References:

1. Ludwig DS. "The glycemic index: physiological mechanisms relating to
obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease." JAMA 287: 2414-23 (2002)

2. Pawlak DB, Ebbeling CB, and Ludwig DS. "Should obese patients be
counselled to follow a low-glycaemic index diet? Yes." Obesity Rev 3: 235-243
(2002)

3. Roberts SR. "High-glycemic index foods, hunger, and obesity: Is there a
connection?" Nutr Rev 58:163-169 (2000)

4. Ludwig DS. "Dietary glycemic index and obesity." J Nutr 130: 280S-283S
(2000)

5. Ludwig DS, Majzoub JA, Al-Zahrani A, Dallal GE, Blanco I, and Roberts SB.
"High glycemic index foods, overeating, and obesity." Pediatrics 103: E26
(1999)

6. Skov AR, Toubro S, Ronn B, Holm L, and Astrup A. "Randomized trial on
protein vs carbohydrate in ad libitum fat reduced diet for the treatment of
obesity." International Journal of Obesity 23: 528-536 (1999)

7. Agus MSD, Swain JF, Larson CL, Eckert EA, and Ludwig DS. "Dietary
composition and physiologic adaptations to energy restriction." Am J Clin
Nutr 71: 901-907 (2000)

8. Wolfe BM and Piche LA. "Replacement of carbohydrate by protein in a
conventional-fat diet reduces cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations in
healthy normolipidemic subjects." Clin Invest Med 22: 140-148(1999)

9. Dunesnil JG, Turgeon J, Tremblay A, Poirier P, Gilbert M Gagnon L,
St-Pierre S, Garneau C, Lemieux I, Pacot A, Bergeron J, and Despres J-P.
"Effect of a low-glycaemic index-low-fat-high protein diet on the atherogenic
metabolic risk profile of abdominally obese men." Brit J Nutr 86: 557-568
(2001)

10. Johnston CS, Day CS, and Swan PD. " Postprandial thermogenesis Is
Increased 100% on a high-protein, low-fat diet versus a high-carbohydrate,
low-fat diet in healthy, young women." Journal of the American College of
Nutrition 21: 55-61 (2002)