Are you trying to find an effective diet that
will help you shed pounds fast? If you are, then you have probably considered
the famous Atkins diet. Over the past few years, this low-carbohydrate, high-protein,
high-fat diet has become extremely popular with image-conscious Americans. It
has demonstrated to help obese people lose weight quickly by consuming steak, bacon, and other fatty foods (Foster et al., 2003). Who wouldn’t want to go on this diet? However, people are so obsessed with losing weight that they often overlook the potentially
dangerous side-affects.
A group of scientists (Foster et al., 2003) conducted the first randomized trial of a low-carbohydrate, high-protein, high-fat diet compared
to a more conventional, high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet in order to test the efficacy as well as the possible consequences
of the Atkins diet. Forty-three obese women and twenty obese men participated
in this one-year long study. Thirty participants were put on the Atkins diet,
and the remaining thirty-three were assigned to the conventional diet.
The results showed that although the subjects
on the Atkins diet lost weight more quickly, both groups showed roughly the same amount of weight loss after one year. Each subject was weighed every 2-6 weeks, and after 3-6 months, the Atkins dieters
had lost more weight than the conventional dieters had. However, after one year,
there was no significant difference in weight loss between the two groups.
The participants in the experiment were also
assessed for certain health problems, including coronary heart disease. One dangerous
issue associated with coronary heart disease is cholesterol levels, which were measured in the dieters. Of the two types of cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the “bad” cholesterol, and
high-density lipoproteins (HDL), the “good” cholesterol), high LDL levels are a major risk factor for coronary
heart disease (2004). The results showed that Atkins dieters experienced an increase
in their total cholesterol levels: both LDL and HDL went up. The conventional
dieters experienced a decrease in their total cholesterol levels: both LDL and HDL went down.
Foster et al. concluded that from this information it hard to determine
which nutritional regimen puts dieters at greater risk for coronary heart disease.
Another
test that was conducted measured the dieters’ triglyceride concentrations. High
triglyceride concentrations are another risk factor for coronary heart disease (2004). The
results revealed that Atkins dieters experienced a decrease in their triglyceride concentration levels (this is good), while
the conventional dieters experienced an increase (this is bad) (Foster et al.,
2003).
At
this point in time scientists and nutritionalists are unable to confirm which diet is a better and healthier choice. After one year, the two groups assigned to different diets showed the same amount
of weight loss. However, there are both positive and negative aspects concerning
the dieter’s health of both diets. While the conventional diet proved to
lower the “bad” LDL cholesterol levels, it also lessened the “good” HDL cholesterol levels; while
the Atkins diet showed an increase in the “bad” LDL cholesterol levels, it also raised the “good”
HDL levels. Additional studies are needed to determine which diet is a better
overall choice. Also recall that this experiment tested the effects of the Atkins
diet only on obese people. As for right now, be aware that there are serious
health risks associated with the Atkins diet, and the best way to lose weight safely is by exercising and eating right.
Bibliography
American Heart Association. 2004.
What’s the Difference Between LDL and HDL
Cholesterol? <http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=180>.
[accessed 11 Feb. 2004]
Foster, Gary D.; Wyatt, Holly R.;
Hill, James O.; McGuckin, Biran G.; Brill, Carrie;
Mohammed, B. Selma; Szapary, Philippe O.; Rader,
Daniel J.; Edman, Joel S.;
Klein, Samuel. 2003. A Randomized Trial of a
Low-Carbohydrate Diet for
Obesity. New England Journal of Medicine 348:2082-2090.