High-protein/low-GI diet best for maintaining weight loss
05 Jan 2011 05:29:42 AM
Wondering how to overcome yo-yo diets?
A comprehensive new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine looked at ways of maintaining weight loss. In people who've successfully shed weight through a low calorie diet the study found that a high protein, low glycemic-index (low GI) diet was significantly better than other diets for keeping off the weight [1].
"We have now shown in a very large European cohort (group) that modifying protein levels and going slightly higher than is usually recommended in terms of protein consumption and lowering GI can help people maintain weight loss," first author on this analysis from the Diet, Obesity, and Genes study, Dr Thomas Meinert Larsen (University of Copenhagen, Denmark).
Five diets compared
The study enrolled 773 subjects who had lost a mean of 11 kg with a low calorie diet at study onset; for this "weight-maintenance phase" study, they were randomized into a low-protein/low-GI diet, a low-protein/high-GI diet, a high-protein/low-GI diet, or a high-protein/high-GI diet.
Over a 26-week period, only subjects in the low-protein/high-GI diet gained significant weight (mean 1.67 kg among study completers) that is had rebound weight gain. However, those in the high-protein/low-GI group actually lost a small amount of weight (mean -0.38 kg). The low GI group was the only one to maintain their weight loss.
Those in the high-protein/low-GI group were also the least likely to drop out of the study, whereas dropouts were highest in the group randomized to the low-protein/high-GI diet, presumably because it was most effective.
Family effects
In an interesting side finding, the study actually involved whole families, not just overweight adults, such that the entire family was eating the same kinds of recommended foodstuffs, with no restrictions on amount of food. Investigators observed that in families where in the high-protein/low-GI diet, the percentage of overweight children in those families fell over the course of the study.
A comprehensive new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine looked at ways of maintaining weight loss. In people who've successfully shed weight through a low calorie diet the study found that a high protein, low glycemic-index (low GI) diet was significantly better than other diets for keeping off the weight [1].
"We have now shown in a very large European cohort (group) that modifying protein levels and going slightly higher than is usually recommended in terms of protein consumption and lowering GI can help people maintain weight loss," first author on this analysis from the Diet, Obesity, and Genes study, Dr Thomas Meinert Larsen (University of Copenhagen, Denmark).
Five diets compared
The study enrolled 773 subjects who had lost a mean of 11 kg with a low calorie diet at study onset; for this "weight-maintenance phase" study, they were randomized into a low-protein/low-GI diet, a low-protein/high-GI diet, a high-protein/low-GI diet, or a high-protein/high-GI diet.
Over a 26-week period, only subjects in the low-protein/high-GI diet gained significant weight (mean 1.67 kg among study completers) that is had rebound weight gain. However, those in the high-protein/low-GI group actually lost a small amount of weight (mean -0.38 kg). The low GI group was the only one to maintain their weight loss.
Those in the high-protein/low-GI group were also the least likely to drop out of the study, whereas dropouts were highest in the group randomized to the low-protein/high-GI diet, presumably because it was most effective.
Family effects
In an interesting side finding, the study actually involved whole families, not just overweight adults, such that the entire family was eating the same kinds of recommended foodstuffs, with no restrictions on amount of food. Investigators observed that in families where in the high-protein/low-GI diet, the percentage of overweight children in those families fell over the course of the study.
Comment:
It appears that the best way to manage weight issues in a family is to adopt a low GI diet: low in sugar, soft drinks, white bread, cakes, biscuits, as well as white rice and other high GI foods like chips and pop corn. Keeping up the protein levels and adding extra vegetables to keep the feeling of fullness and satisfaction from the meal is important too.
If you have lost weight and want to keep it off a high protein/low GI diet proves to be the best way.
References:
1. Larsen TM, Dalskov SM, van Baak M, et al. Diets with high or low protein content and glycemic index for weight-loss maintenance. N Engl J Med 2010; 363:2102-2113.
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