Diet Comparisons

I recently read an article comparing different popular diets with each other. The diets in question were Atkins, Zone, Ornish and LEARN. But first, let me explain what each of these diets are:

1) Atkins is a very low carb diet, much like banting.
2) Zone works on Blocks. One block is either 9 grams carbs, 7 grams protein, or 1.5 grams fat. Your meal consists of one or more blocks, and a One Block Meal with contain one of each of the three blocks, for a total of 3 blocks. Sounds confusing, but its not really.
3) Ornish is the almost exact opposite of banting. We like bacon. They hate it. We love coconut oil. They hate it. The only thing the two diets agree upon is processed foods. Both hate it.
4) LEARN is based on the USA National Guidelines, and it stands for Lifestyle, Exercise, Attitude, Relationships, and Nutrition. This is your basic low-fat high carb diet you've been brought up on.

So, how were the diets compared? The researchers used a group of woman, all aged between 25 and 50, all with a BMI of 27 to 40. There were other restrictions as well, most based on general health and current medication, as those could influence the results.

The study was done over a 12 month period. 311 Women were selected, and 77 were assigned to the Atkins group. Zone and LEARN each got 79 participants, and Ornish got 76.

Through the year a large number of participants withdrew. At the end of the study the researches were left with 68 on Atkins, 61 each on Zone and LEARN, and 59 on Ornish. Over 88% of the participants on Atkins finished the trial. Less than 78% finished the trial on each of the other 3 diets. One point for LCHF - it is a much easier lifestyle to commit to than the others.

One of the worries most people have with a high fat diet, is cholesterol. At the 2 month mark, LEARN and Ornish did do better regarding LDL (bad cholesterol). At the 6 and 12 month points, however, there were no significant differences between any of the four diets. On the HDL (good cholesterol) side, however, Atkins outperformed all three the other groups. LCHF - 2 points. The Rest - 0.

The next area of testing was Glucose, Insulin, and blood pressure. There were no significant differences between the groups for either the fasting insulin or the fasting glucose concentrations. However, the Atkins group had a significantly greater decrease in systolic blood pressure. On a personal note, I have recently been taken of blood pressure medication. And The Wife's blood pressure is also excellent. Another point for LCHF.

Now, for the one part that most of you are here for - the weight loss. Participants on Zone lost an average of 1.6 kg over the 12-month period (from 0.4 to 2.8). LEARN came in third with an average of 2.2 kg (0.8 to 3.6), while Ornish came in second with an average loss of 2.6 kg (1.3 to 3.8 kg). The Biggest Losers came from the Atkins group. They lost an average of 4.7 kg over the year. That was a higher average than even the best individuals from the other groups. The weight loss in this group ranged from 3.1 kg to 6.3 kg.

So, once again prove that LCHF is not only the fastest way to safely lose weight, it is also the easiest to follow (looking at the drop-out rates between the groups), and it has the biggest advantages in general health. The best of it all? Atkins people still take in relatively high amounts of sugar via sucrose found in fruit. By limiting the high-fructose fruits, we lose even more quicker when Banting!

And after this lecture, I bet you wonder only about one more thing... how did the Hearn Family do this past week? Well, we had some mixed results. The Biggest Loser this week was Youngest, with a 0.5 kg loss. I came in second with a 0.3 kg loss. The Wife picked up 0.1 kg, but after last week there is no way she can complain. Eldest picked up 0.3 kg. No real big losses this week, but no big gains either.

Until next week. Have a banting good time!