FDA: The Low-Carb Diet Is 'Sheer Nonsense' - The Common Voice

FDA: The Low-Carb Diet Is 'Sheer Nonsense'
The Common Voice, SC - Apr 16, 2007
And if those diets don't work for you, then certainly you can always take a risky diet drug like orlistat or even get your insides cut open for LAP-BAND® ...


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....nothing like a strong opinion in the morning while waiting for the coffee....

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"Carpe mañana"
*Oldtimers posse: surgery 12/21/04*

My Quest is Victory over the Dragons of Habit, Gluttony, Sloth, Desperation

Actually, low-carb diets are sheer nonsense. I eat more carbs than ever since LAP-BAND® and have lost 90 pounds- more than I ever have in my life.

Low carb didn't do much for me, but low-cal sure has.

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Through the infinite grace of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, I am blessed.

I'd be the first to say low carb diets are nonsense.

I just dont get how everyone doesnt realise they trotted out all this crap in the 70's and they STILL havent proven it. How can everyone believe without question all the claims? How can you risk your body with such an extreme diet without KNOWING for sure its not harming you.

I brought this up in another thread and was told very smartly that there was all sorts of research supporting high protein low carb diets and if I cared to see it, he had the hard copies in his office. Yawn. So what? His so called "evidence" was no more reliable than the studies I could point to that say the exact opposite.

They dont KNOW is the honest answer. Low fat high carb hasnt worked either, but the reason people are fatter is not because of the recommendation of ths type of diet its becuase people dont move, they eat too much convenience food and they're not bloody complaint with a high carb and low fat diet. They eat high carb HIGH fat diets.

I just think use your brain! If low carbing worked, it would have taken off in the 60's and 70's and nobody would be fat. But nobody can LIVE that way for decades on end, its ridiculous.

As to the claims that carbs make you hungrier, well I would suggest when you deprive your body of an ENTIRE food group and then allow yourself a little taste, you're going to start an almighty hunger for the thing which you're so lacking. Its not rocket science.

Ooh, I've been dying to have that rant, but it really isnt appropriate to bring it up in other places because its not nice to continually argue against what others believe. So I hope everyone can indulge me in my little rant and just agree to disagree with me.

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Jacqui

You can remove anything from your diet and lose weight. Carbs. Fat. Calories. Whatever. All will result in weightloss.

The best weightloss is when everything is in moderation.

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-175 pounds
Banded March 1, 2006

The types and portions of carbs matters, but that's is true of most foods.
A diet of large portions of bacon, cheese, enriched flour products and corn syrup can kill you.

If all you eat is protein, where will fiber/calcium in your diet come from?

All protein does not work for me and most people cannot sustain it long term. My two cents.

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Banded 11/27/07
Band removed 8/5/08

DENVER (July 17, 2008) – The results of a two-year study, released today in The New England Journal of Medicine, comparing a low-carbohydrate diet like the Atkins Nutritional Approach™ with Mediterranean and low-fat diets, found that low-carbohydrate diets are more effective in achieving weight loss than the other diets, and supported cardiovascular health with favorable cholesterol and cholesterol profile results.

The study compared three diets – low-carbohydrate, low-fat, and Mediterranean – and followed more than 300 overweight patients for two years. All the study participants consumed similar number of calories.

Those following the low-carbohydrate diet experienced a mean weight loss of more than 10 pounds. Their mean weight loss was 40 percent greater than those following the low-fat diet and about 7 percent greater than those following the Mediterranean diet.

This new study confirms that diets such as the Atkins Diet™ that are focused on reduced levels of carbohydrates provide a roadmap to successful weight loss and weight management with significant health benefits.

Participants following the low-carbohydrate diet consumed more protein, fat and cholesterol than the other diets, but experienced the best results comparing cholesterol ratios, and comparable improvements in health measures such as liver function and levels of cardiovascular disease. Among the low-carbohydrate participants, the reduction in the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL (good cholesterol) was significant – a relative decrease of 20 percent – and better than the other diets.

“This study adds to the growing body of evidence that Atkins continues to be on the cutting-edge of science,” notes Vice President of Education and Nutrition, Colette Heimowitz. “Individuals who are looking to lose weight successfully and develop healthy lifelong eating habits can rely on Atkins to provide them with the tools they need to achieve their goals.”

The study published in The New England Journal of Medicine was conducted by researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beer Sheva, Israel and at Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s Channing Laboratory.

Diabetes Diet

New American Diabetes Association (ADA) Guidelines Back Low-Carb Diets

By Christine Many Luff

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has for the first time voiced its support of low-carbohydrate diets for weight management of people with diabetes. The endorsement was part of the ADA’s recently published 2008 Clinical Practice Recommendations, which are intended to guide diabetes health care providers.


In the past, the ADA guidelines have supported low-fat, calorie-restricted diets as a weight loss method and didn’t recommend low-carb diets because of a lack of evidence supporting their safety and effectiveness. The new ADA guidelines state that both low-fat and low-carb diets are equally effective at helping people lose weight over a year. However, new ADA guidelines recommend that low-carb dieters make sure their blood lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides), kidney function, and medication levels are monitored.

“We recognize that people are looking for realistic ways to lose weight,” said Ann Albright, PhD, RD, president of health care and education for the ADA in a prepared statement. “The evidence is clear that both low-carbohydrate and low-fat calorie restricted diets result in similar weight loss at one year. We’re not endorsing either of these weight-loss plans over any other method of losing weight. What we want health care providers to know is that it’s important for patients to choose a plan that works for them, and that the health care team support their patients’ weight loss efforts and provide appropriate monitoring of patients’ health.”

The ADA’s announcement is a major breakthrough because the group is the first of major health organizations (such as the American Medical Association, American Heart Association, etc.) to give any support to low-carb diets. Yet, while long-time advocates of low-carb diets say the recommendations are a good start, they’d like to see them go further.

“We’re pleased that they’re willing to move away from an entrenched position and look at the science,” said Mary Vernon, M.D., C.M.D., chairman of the board, American Society of Bariatric Physicians, and author of Atkins Diabetes Revolution (Morrow, 2004). “But it’s not enough and it isn’t respectful enough of how effective this is as a change in patients.”

Vernon would like to see more recommendations about patient monitoring and continuing education for physicians. “Most doctors aren’t familiar with using this technique because they’ve been told not to do it up until now,” she said. “You have to be educated about how to use it.”

She warned that people with diabetes could experience bad outcomes if their doctors don’t have the right information. “If you drop your carbs and don’t change your medication, it’s very likely you’ll have too much medicine for your body and you’ll have side effects,” she said. “Then the diet gets blamed when it’s not the diet’s fault at all.”

Vernon would also like to see the ADA back off their restriction that people stay on low-carb diets for no more than a year. “What happens if, after a year, your blood sugars are good — should you quit?” she said. “We don’t take people off their medicine if it’s working. It’s not fair to hold this diet to a standard that nothing else is held to.”


SOURCE:

1. American Diabetes Association. January 2008. Nutrition Recommendations and Interventions for Diabetes. Diabetes Care, Volume 31: S61-S78.


Reviewed by Susan Weiner, R.D., M.S., C.D.E., C.D.N. 3/08




Copyright © 2004-2008 LifeMed Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Low carb diets ABSOLUTELY work, and are better for your cardiovascular health than low fat.

I know this because I lost over 100 lb on the dreaded ATKINS diet and my lipid profile was outstanding while following the program.

Most people who talk trash about the LC WOL, don't know anything about it.

The low carb diet is just like any other diet in one sense....in order for it to work, you have to actually FOLLOW IT!

I had a sister-in-law that said she would never "do Atkins" because her doctor said all that bacon, eggs and cheese would kill you. She made this statement as she polished off her 6th Krispy Kreme donut (at one sitting).

I went and got the lap-band® because I was weak and couldn't stick to Atkins or any other diet, but don't kid yourselves.....it works great and is good for you.

Hammer

So what? You can make a blanket statement like that but its just what you think, not fact.

Lipid profiles improve on high carb/low fat diets too - all the time. That's why if you have a heart attack, your doctor will put you on that type of diet. You should see my 70 year old mother after a year of eating a really healthy low fat/high carb diet, and her lipids are perfect and she looks like a 50 year old. She's fit and healthy after having had a heart attack a year and a half ago, has turned her whole life around and no Atkins in sight.

Is that proof positive that this is the ONLY way to go? No. It just worked for her is all.

Your lipid profile wont improve if your version of high carb/low fat is low fat 2 minute noodles, white bread and processed cereal with skim milk. But it will if you do it properly.

If people by and large ate properly as per the food pyramid - they ate their 2 fruit 5 veg per day,they got their protein from lean meat, fish and chicken, they got their fat from heatlhy sources such as avocado, nuts and fish and they never ate bacon, cheese, salami and rubbish like that then entire nations wouldnt be hugely obese.

This believing any one diet plan can save you, just by avoiding certain foods is sheer fantasy. You just have to eat less and not eat crap.

Studies schmudies. They're all politically motivated, they all have a point to push and they all leave out much more important information than what they actually say.

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Jacqui

Jachut said -
So what? You can make a blanket statement like that but its just what you think, not fact.

It's fact in my case.

Lipid profiles improve on high carb/low fat diets too - all the time. That's why if you have a heart attack, your doctor will put you on that type of diet. You should see my 70 year old mother after a year of eating a really healthy low fat/high carb diet, and her lipids are perfect and she looks like a 50 year old. She's fit and healthy after having had a heart attack a year and a half ago, has turned her whole life around and no Atkins in sight.

I didn't say there weren't other ways that would work besides LC.

Is that proof positive that this is the ONLY way to go? No. It just worked for her is all.

Once again, I never said Atkins was the only way to go.

Your lipid profile wont improve if your version of high carb/low fat is low fat 2 minute noodles, white bread and processed cereal with skim milk. But it will if you do it properly.

Doesn't that depend on what "properly" means?

If people by and large ate properly as per the food pyramid - they ate their 2 fruit 5 veg per day,they got their protein from lean meat, fish and chicken, they got their fat from heatlhy sources such as avocado, nuts and fish and they never ate bacon, cheese, salami and rubbish like that then entire nations wouldnt be hugely obese.

The entire western world has become heart diseased, cancer stricken swine by following that "pyramid".

This believing any one diet plan can save you, just by avoiding certain foods is sheer fantasy. You just have to eat less and not eat crap.

Once again, either you can't read or your anxiety level is through the roof. I never said LC was the only way. Loosen the bone Wilma!

Studies schmudies. They're all politically motivated, they all have a point to push and they all leave out much more important information than what they actually say.

"Studies schmudies"? Now don't get all technical on me, how can the Journal of American Medicine or the American Diabetes Association compete with "Studies schmudies" ???????

Hammer

No, the entire western world has become obese and diseased from eating crap out of boxes, frozen foods, Mconalds, KFC, processed white sugary rubbish NOT from following the food pyramid by eating whole grains, plenty of fruit and veg and moderate protein/dairy. The western world eats HIGH carb, HIGH fat, HIGH protein, HIGH additives in massive portions, not high carb low fat! Our food is more energy dense than ever before, its possible to ingest 2000 calories in ONE meal. We dont move enough. Thinking its all down to a balance of macronutrients is ignoring 3/4 of the picture.

Journal of American Medicine? Again, so what? If the experts got it so wrong once, do you think they cant again? Do you really think there wont be more studies in 10 years saying something else?. They had "studies" proving high carb low fat was the way to go too. Why believe it now? That's pretty naive. Its like the whole Omega 3 is the answer to everything movement, a grain of truth in it for sure, but the answer to all our health woes? Not likely.

I dont disagree that low carb high protein is a reasonable eating model too. But mainly because it acheives the same goal - less calories. But the way its publicised like its the next big medical miracle is really misleading and doesnt do a lot for a nation's health when people need to understand that they need to reduce portion size and get off their collective backsides and move a bit more. Especially when people dont understand what healthy low carb is and do something like Atkins where they cut out GOOD food and overindulge in rubbish like bacon and cream insisting that they can eat them in any quantity. Its the exact same thing as misinterpreting the food pyramid.

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Jacqui

Journal of American Medicine? Again, so what? If the experts got it so wrong once, do you think they cant again? Do you really think there wont be more studies in 10 years saying something else?. They had "studies" proving high carb low fat was the way to go too. Why believe it now? That's pretty naive. Its like the whole Omega 3 is the answer to everything movement, a grain of truth in it for sure, but the answer to all our health woes? Not likely.

Yeah you're right, how naive of me to believe 2 year Peer Review studies when all I needed was to come here and listen to................. you?
We can argue about our opinions till the cows come home, that's why I posted 2008 studies from reputable institutions to go along with mine. If you disagree with them, that's your problem. All I know is the Atkins plan worked wonders for me while I was on it.

Hammer

Yep, just stick with me, I'm the expert.

Actually, I know I'm not. I just think saying "low carb diets ABSOLUTELY work and are better for your health than low fat" is a bit extreme. Maybe. Maybe not.

But forgive me for not seeing YOU as the expert, and for not being convinced by one study that you've found online. I'd need to see a big movement towards low carb and the evidence of years of a nation eating that way before I became utterly convinced that it was the case. And i'd suggest that would be sensible for anyone. There's a lot of evidence around also to suggest that some of Atkins beliefs are downright unhealthy and I'd like to see that evidence proven wrong before I fill my arteries with saturated fat.

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Jacqui

Look, you can believe anything you want, but I know how Atkins worked for me and if you want to call losing 100 lbs and reaching and maintaining the best lipid profile I had ever had "extreme and/or naive", and poo poo the latest scientific evidence, then be my guest.
I truly doubt that you know anything of substance about the Atkins plan. Most people who trash it have never really researched it or read his books, they once heard someone say it was all meat and cheese with no veggies and of course swallowed it hook line and sinker. Is that you or have you read the books? Do you understand ketosis? (quick, google it!)

Just kidding.

Let's just agree to disagree, I'm going to bed.

Hammer