Obesity and weight problems are commonplace in our society.  In response, people are always looking for a “quick fix” to their weight problems that will make them look more like their favorite Hollywood star in no time.  These Hollywood popularized diets, such as low carbohydrate diets, have become the cornerstone for many people’s dieting habits.  In George Bray’s article “Low Carbohydrate Diets and Realities of Weight Loss” (2003), Bray explains that when it comes to low carbohydrate diets, there are certain advantages, such as improved dieting habits and quick weight loss, and certain disadvantages, such as difficulty maintaining weight loss.  However, if long term weight loss is desired, low carbohydrate diets may not be the best choice. 

            Many questions in the medical field have arisen over whether or not low carbohydrate intake really is connected with weight loss.  In Bray’s article, published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association, Bray comments that “study findings show that calories do count and that low-carbohydrate diets produce weight loss by reducing calorie intake” (2003).  Bray states that there are three indirect advantages of consuming fewer carbohydrates.  The first advantage is that when diets reduce carbohydrates, they often also reduce fat intake.  For example, french fries and donuts are two common high carbohydrate foods that are popular in American’s diets.  Those trying to reduce carbohydrate intake will eliminate these foods from their diets, and therefore will reduce their fat intake as well.  Secondly, dieters reduce their calorie intake when they reduce carbohydrates.  Finally, when dieters remove sweet tasting foods from their diet, the gustatory stimulation that sweets produce is reduced.  The reduction of this stimulation makes people like likely to over consume.  Changes in diet, combined with reduced carbohydrate intake, make the results of the diet more powerful.  Paying extra attention to carbohydrates helps people indirectly make wiser eating choices.  These points outline a few of the advantages that low carbohydrate diets can give to dieters.

            A common question that Bray touches on in his article and that many people ask, is why the low carbohydrate “miracle diets” have been a persistent theme in diet books for many years?  One answer suggested by Bray is that some of these diets “produce quick weight loss” (2003).  However, contrary to popular belief, the secret behind this quick weight loss is not actually in losing fat.  In Bray’s article, he states that most of the weight lost in the first 7-14 days is due to diuresis, which in common terms means the excretion of urine.  Removing carbohydrates from the diet requires the body to mobilize sugar stored in the liver and muscles to provide glucose.  These storages can account for 5% of liver weight and 1% of muscle weight.  This loss of weight results in fluid that is excreted.  The speed with which this weight is lost is encouraging to dieters, which continually adds to the popularity of low carbohydrate diets.

            While low carbohydrate diets can produce quick results, they are far from perfect.  The initial period of quick weight loss leads people to have a false sense of hope, leading them to have expectations of continued long term weight loss.   Bray states that “After 7 to 14 days, diuresis ends and the phase of rapid weight loss slows” (2003).  Oftentimes when the weight loss starts to slow down or stop altogether patients become frustrated, especially if they have not lost much weight.  At this time, many patients decide that the diet is not working even if it is.  This frustration can cause a relapse to poor eating habits and regaining the weight that was lost.  In response to this, Bray states that “maintaining body weight at a lower plateau over time means that the treatment is working” (2003).  Based on this information, it becomes apparent that low-carbohydrate diets are not perfect. In fact, they may not be the best solution when dramatic weight loss is desired.

            In conclusion, Bray makes clear that there are very significant advantages to low carbohydrate diets in the short run.  However, doctors and scientists have yet to determine if there is a special diet that can produce long-term weight loss.  Bray comments that “further high quality research is needed to identify which type of weight loss diet is most efficacious in the long term” (2003).  As for now, common knowledge tells us that low carbohydrate diets may have you looking more like your favorite Hollywood star, but the question of how long you will maintain that image is yet to be answered.

 

References

Bray, George.  2003.  Low Carbohydrate Diets and Realities of Weight Loss.  Journal of

            the American Medical Association, 289:  1853-1855.  [accessed Feb. 11, 2004].