American Heart Assoc diet vs Atkins style-AHA diet wins

[Guest guest]

As Jeff has pointed out many times, the AHA " 30% " fat diet is not

low-fat. Nevertheless, the AHA " low(er)-fat " diet beats Atkins style

low-carb/high fat

Hypertension. 2008;51:376-382

Published online before print January 14, 2008, doi:

10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.107.101824

(Hypertension. 2008;51:376.)

© 2008 American Heart Association, Inc.

Original Articles

Benefit of Low-Fat Over Low-Carbohydrate Diet on Endothelial Health in

Obesity

Shane A. ; W. Jurva; Amjad Q. Syed; Amina Q. Syed;

Jacquelyn P. Kulinski; Joan Pleuss; G. Hoffmann; D.

Gutterman

From the Department of Medicine (S.A.P., J.W.J., AmjadQ.S., AminaQ.S.,

J.P.K., D.D.G.), Cardiovascular Center (S.A.P., J.W.J., AmjadQ.S.,

AminaQ.S., J.P.K., D.D.G.), and General Clinical Research Center

(J.P., R.G.H.), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; and the

Department of Physical Therapy (S.A.P.), University of Illinois at

Chicago.

Correspondence to Shane A. , University of Illinois at

Chicago, 1919 W St, Chicago, IL 60612. E-mail shanep@...

Obesity is associated with impaired endothelial-dependent

flow-mediated dilation, a precursor to hypertension and

atherosclerosis. Although dieting generally improves cardiovascular

risk factors, the direct effect of different dietary strategies on

vascular endothelial function is not known. The purpose of this study

was to test the hypothesis that a low-fat (LF) diet improves

endothelial function compared with an isocaloric low-carbohydrate (LC)

diet. Obese (n=20; body mass index: 29 to 39; mean systolic blood

pressure: 107 to 125 mm Hg) and otherwise healthy volunteers were

randomly assigned to either the American Heart Association modeled LF

(30% fat calories) diet or an isocaloric LC Atkins' style diet (20 g

of carbohydrates) for 6 weeks (4-week weight loss and 2-week

maintenance phase). Brachial flow-mediated dilation and dilation to

nitroglycerin were measured with ultrasound using automated edge

detection technology (baseline, week 2, and week 6). Blood pressure,

weight loss, and cholesterol profiles were measured throughout the

study. Weight loss was similar in LF (100±4 to 96.1±4 kg; P<0.001) and

LC (95.4±4 to 89.7±4 kg; P<0.001) diets. Blood pressure decreased

similarly in both groups (LF: 8/5 mm Hg; LC: 12/6 mm Hg) at 6 weeks.

After 6 weeks, the percentage of flow-mediated dilation improved

(1.9±0.8; P<0.05) in the LF diet but was reduced in the LC diet

(–1.4±0.6; P<0.05) versus baseline. Dilation to nitroglycerin and

lipid panels was similar at 0, 2, and 6 weeks. Despite similar degrees

of weight loss and changes blood pressure, LF diets improved brachial

artery flow-mediated dilation over LC diets. LF diets may confer

greater cardiovascular protection than LC diets.

Key Words: diet • weight loss • endothelium • obesity • blood pressure