A New Atkins Diet Finding – New Research Is Surfacing

Right up until his death little more than one month ago, Dr. Atkins fought for peer recognition of his low-carb eating program. Vindication appears to be at hand. New research indicates you’ll lose weight faster without raising your cholesterol by following a low-carb eating regimen.

What may be the best pro-Atkins findings to date come from a pair of studies recently published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine.

The bottom line: men and women following the Atkins approach lost twice the weight as those individuals following a highly respected low-fat diet.

The principle investigator of the year-long study, which was conducted at three institutions, is the main researcher who oversees the weight-loss program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. “The Atkins diet is the most popular, longstanding approach to weight loss in this country... perhaps in the world,” Dr. Gary Foster tells eDiets. “Nobody had evaluated it with a randomized controlled trial. We’re not talking about just low-carb diets -- we're talking about the Atkins diet.

“We had people do the Atkins diet in terms of giving them the book and providing minimal support. People did it in a self-help way, not with weekly meetings or additional support.”

Like many of his peers in the field of nutrition and weight control, Dr. Foster says he had his doubts about shedding pounds on a high-fat, high-protein diet. He admits to being as surprised as anyone else by the findings. Seeing is believing and Dr. Foster hopes the outcome of his study will push other medical experts to take a second look at the revolutionary Atkins plan.

“I was very skeptical," Dr. Foster says. "I assumed that if you ate a high-fat diet you might lose weight because you're restricting your choices, but that you would likely get unfavorable effects on cholesterol. I was surprised by the findings.

“I think doctors and dietitians are reasonable. They’ll look at this for what it is. These are exciting findings. It’s a treatment alternative for many Americans who are obese.

"It’s too early to suggest widespread adoption of low-carb diets but we should take it seriously and study it more.” According to Colette Heimowitz, director of education and research for Atkins Health and Medical Information Services, researchers are finally coming to terms with what Dr. Atkins and his supporters have known all along: no single weight loss approach works for everyone.

“After 30 years of the common wisdom being that low fat was the only way to go for a healthier lifestyle and weight control, these findings will offer people who have failed on a low-fat diet a healthy and safe alternative," Heimowitz tells eDiets. "The one-fits-all hypothesis has clearly not addressed a major part of the population, based on the statistics that 64.5 percent of the population is overweight or obese.

“I’m not surprised about the results. That’s what we see in clinical practice. I’m glad it’s in a prestigious medical journal so more health professionals may find comfort in recommending Atkins to their clients.” This vindication of sorts comes some 30 years after Dr. Atkins first began touting his popular meat-and-no potatoes approach to weight loss and improved health. But the nutritional approach that the eggheads have long shunned has been eagerly embraced by the masses. Since 1972, more than 15 million overweight men and women have bought Dr. Atkins' best-selling New Diet Revolution.

One of the biggest obstacles to widespread acceptance has been the charge that the Atkins approach would raise cholesterol levels. The new research says followers of the Atkins plan have higher levels of HDL (good cholesterol) and lower triglycerides, while their LDL cholesterol levels -- as well as their blood pressure -- were no different than followers of a low-fat diet.

“All of their assumptions about what would happen as far as health risks are concerned with a low-carb program did not happen," Heimowitz notes. "So before they assume anything, they should read the literature and let the science speak for itself.

“All of the claims about dangers of this program -- when studied properly -- do not show up.” In general, Atkins followers lost an average of 9 pounds more than their low fat-eating counterparts. Not only did they shed more weight, but they also did so without depriving themselves of flavorful and filling foods like red meat, cheese, poultry, fish, nuts and vegetables.

The study does show that those who followed the Atkins approach gained about one-third the weight back at the end of the year. (Similar results held true for followers of the low-fat diets.) However, these people were doing the Atkins Nutritional Approach without any outside support. Other studies have concluded that when dieters enjoy support they are more likely to achieve lasting weight loss. An eye-opening Brown University study showed that dieters typically lost more weight when they linked up with the internet for weight loss information, weekly tips and progress charts, and message boards for 24/7 contact with fellow dieters.

The recent marriage of the Atkins Nutritional Approach and eDiets.com, the leading online weight loss program, provides the one-two punch you need to K.O. fat once and for all. Atkins followers can now get a personalized meal plan, 24/7 peer and professional support and much more without leaving their home. “In the Dr. Foster study, there was some weight gain at the one-year mark," Heimowitz acknowledges. "But this was a free living population. They wanted to see how people do with the program when they try it on their own. Clearly if participants had the support of eDiets, this would not have happened.”

Although there has been no distinct research done on how online support plays a role for Atkins followers, Dr. Foster says support of any kind is key when people are trying to lose weight.

“Some support is better than none," Dr. Foster says. "The more support people get -- whether from the internet, family members or other sources -- the better. I think it’s important to acknowledge that weight management is difficult in this environment. It’s nearly impossible without some support.”

Also see; Atkins diet.

About The Author:

Mark Harris is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.atkins-diet-plan-n-recipes.com. Information about the Atkins diet plan and low carb cooking for long term weight loss.