Re: Re: Weight Loss with a Low-Carbohydrate, Mediterranean, or Low-Fat Diet

[Guest guest]

We know the low fat group was not a low fat group but the low carb group

was also not low carb.

The low carb group was told to limit their total carb intake to no more

than 120 grams and as this made up 40% of their calories, then their

total caloric intake (based on their percentages given in the study) was

1171 calories. If subjects whose BMIs are 31, with a body weight of 202

lbs, doing 18/MET of exercise a week went on a diet and consumed only

1171 calories for 6 months and only lost 6 kgs, something is way wrong.

A 202 lb person burns around 2000 calories at rest., Add in the

exercise of around 300-500 a day, is 2300- 2500 and deduct the 1200

calories and you get an energy deficit of 1100-1300 calories day which

would product a weight loss of 2.2 to 2.6 lbs a week, and around 9-10

lbs a month and 54-60 lbs in 6 months. Even if my numbers are slightly

off, there is still a HUGE discrepancy between the reported data and the

results achieved.

And, according to the study data, they maintained these percentages for

2 years and during that time, gained weight, so then after the 6 months

numbers, something is really " really " wrong with the data.

There are many problems with the study and the data.

Jeff

Rodney wrote:

>

> Hi folks:

>

> ............... and one can only speculate as to why it is that the

> American Heart Association continues to recommend the diet it does,

> when it has been proved that with that diet heart disease gets worse,

> while studies have been done, and reported in the literature, which

> demonstrate how CVD can be reversed.

>

> It is not very difficult to come up with all kinds of

> 'conspiracy-type' explanations for this, the discussion of which is

> probably not appropriate to this site. Except to say that many here

> have no faith at all in the American Heart Association recommendations

> for avoiding CVD, while the data for people on CRON leave no doubt

> about its benefits.

>

> Rodney.

>

>

> >

> > Some points..

> >

> > - i am surprised this made it into the NEJM

> >

> > - the " low fat " diet was not a " low fat " diet but an American Heart

> > Association diet that is 30% fat, 10% Saturated fat and been proven to

> > be ineffective.

>

>

[Guest guest]

I am not sure if all of these comments were posted here or not, but here

is my critique of the study.

Jeff

The majority of the weight loss in all three groups happened between the

first 5-6 months. After that, all groups regained weight.

According to the tables, here is the amount of weight loss followed by

the reduction in calories from baseline (before the diets started)

Low Carb, - ~6.5 kg, -561 calories

MED Diet, - ~4.5 kg, -254 calories

Low Fat, - ~4.5 kg, - 458 calories

Now, is anyone surprised that a group consuming 100 less calories per

day for 6 months, lost 2 more kgs of weight over those 6 months

On average, using basic weight loss math, a 100 calorie difference per

day over the course of a year, would be a 10 lb difference, and at 6

months would be a 5 lb difference, which is 2.2 kgs. So, the predicted

weight loss is fairly close to the actual weight loss for the low carb

and the low fat groups. No surprise.

The fact that the MED diet averaged 200 less calories per day than the

low fat diet, yet lost the same amount of weight as the low fat group,

makes you want to question the methods and the accuracy of the MED diet

intake as the calorie deficit does not match the weight loss. You cannot

violate the laws of physics.

In addition, the low carb group was also not low carb.

Here is why...

The low carb group was told to limit their total carb intake to no more

than 120 grams and as according to the study data, this made up 40% of

their calories. If we do the math, 120 grams of carbs is 480 calories

from carbs. If their carbohydrate intake was 40% of their calories and

equalled 480 calories, then their total caloric intake was 1171

calories. Think about that 1171 calories.

The average BMI of the subjects in the study was around 31, with an

average body weight of around202 lbs, In addition, the low carb group

was doing the equivalent of 18/MET of exercise a week. Now, lets put

this all together. Obese subjects went on a diet and consumed only 1171

calories and engaged in fairly vigorous exercise on a regular basis for

6 months and only lost 6 kgs. Something is way wrong because the math

does not work.

A 202 lb person burns around 2000 calories at rest., If we add in the

calories burned from exercise of around 300-500 a day, they are burning

about 2300- 2500. Now lets deduct the 1200 calories from the 2300-2500

calories, and you get an energy deficit of 1100-1300 calories day. A

deficity of this magnitude would produce a weight loss of 2.2 to 2.6 lbs

a week, and around 9-10 lbs a month and 54-60 lbs in 6 months. Now, even

if my numbers are slightly off, there is still a HUGE discrepancy

between the reported data and the results achieved as they only lost

about 14 bs.

Yet, according to the study data, they maintained these percentages and

calories for 2 years and during that time, not only did not lose the

expected weight in the first 6 months, they all then began to gain

weight. So, not only do the numbers not work during the first 6 months

for the amount of weight lost, they are really off for the period from 6

months to 2 years, when they actually gained weight while experiencing a

huge calorie deficit. This is physiologically impossible.

One other minor note, if you check the tables, you will see that the

group asked to go on the AHA diet (which is NOT a low fat diet) actually

ate less fiber. How do you go on a healthy low fat high carb diet and

consume " less " fiber? Not by eating more fruits, veggies, starchy

veggies, intact whole grains and legumes, but by eating more refined and

processed calorie dense low fat junk foods.

At the start of the study, the average BMI of the subjects was 31. The

average change in BMI over the 24 months was –1.0 in the low-fat group,

–1.5 in the Mediterranean-diet group, and –1.5 in the low-carbohydrate

group. A 1- 1.5 change is BMI is equivalent to about a 6-10 lb weight loss.

Now, the question for you is , over the course of 24 months, would any

of you here be happy with a 6-10 lbs weight loss and call that " effective? "

Therefore, what this study proves is that neither the AHA diet, the MED

diet, or the Atkins diet, is effective for helping overweight subjects

lose weight.

No surprise.