June 14, 2004
NUTRITION NEWS FOCUS
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Today's Topic: Low-Carb Low-Down

A new study finds that a low-carbohydrate diet gave better weight loss
and participant retention than a low-fat diet.  During weight loss,
serum triglycerides and HDL cholesterol improved more with the
low-carb diet.

Sixty obese subjects were assigned to a low-carb, ketogenic (less than
20 grams a day) diet and 59 were assigned to a low-fat (29 percent of
energy) diet for 6 months.  Forty-five completed the low-carb diet and
34 completed the low-fat diet.  Weight loss was twice as great in the
low-carb group.  The study was published in the May 18, 2004 edition
of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
< http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/abstract/140/10/769 >

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: While weight loss on
the low-carb diet was greater than on a low-fat diet, the editors of
the journal pointed out that the high dropout rate, self-directed
adherence to the diets, and the relatively short observation period of
the study make it difficult to extrapolate these findings to the
general population.