It is an obsession of self-help book publishers and a source of countless billions of dollars in sales for makers of supplements and other remedies, some more scrupulous than others. But science, too, turns its attention to diet and how to lose weight, with a new study offering some strong evidence of what works, and what doesn’t.
Billed as one of the largest ever studies of diet, Danish research published today in the New England Journal of Medicine concludes that a diet rich in proteins, with more lean meat, low-fat dairy products and beans and fewer finely refined starch, such as white bread and white rice, is the best to keep off weight.
Led by scientists at the Univesity of Copenhagen, the study looked at 938 European adults, who first were put on a strict low-calorie diet, losing an average of 11 kilograms. Then they were randomly assigned to one of five low-fat diets. They included one with low protein and a high glycemic index; one with low protein and low GI; one with high protein and low GI; a high protein and high GI diet; and one that followed current governmental recommendations.
Those on the high protein, low GI diet were most likely to keep the weight off, the researchers found. They say it works essentially because those proteins make people feel full after eating fewer calories. The diet seems reminiscent of the Atkins, but the researchers note that their’s included far more complex carbohydrates, such as wholegrain cereals and breads, fruit and vegetables.
Food with a low-glycemic index causes blood-glucose levels to increase more slowly and to lower levels, compared to carbohydrates with a high glycemic index. Sharp increases in blood glucose levels lead to potentially undesirable effects on the body’s metabolism and our ability to perform mentally.