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Calorie counting is key to weight loss success
June 12th, 2009
It’s the calories, not the type of food we eat, that makes people lose or put on weight, according to a two-year study by Dr Frank Sacks at the Harvard School of Public Health,
“If people can maintain a calorie deficit no matter what type of diet they are on, they’re going to lose weight,” Dr Sacks said.
The study involved more than 800 overweight adults who were put onto one of four heart-healthy diets. The diets ranged from low fat and high protein, through to high fat and high protein, and were made up of the same types of foods. Participants were also encouraged to do 90 minutes of exercise a week.
The average weight loss was 6kg in six months, but participants gradually regained their weight after 12 months.
Dr Sacks said that it didn’t matter what the diet was, if people could maintain a calorie deficit, no matter what type of diet they were on, they were going to lose weight.
Another finding from the study was that those who regularly attended support sessions over the two years were more likely to lose weight.
At London Medical, patients on our SmartWeight™ programme will know that a low carbohydrate plan is specifically promoted for people with diabetes, insulin resistance or those with abnormally low HDL cholesterol. Otherwise, we continue to believe that a well-balanced diet that you enjoy is one that you are most likely to stick with in the long term.
