Women lose more weight on high-protein or high-fat diet than high-carb : 17.6 lbs vs 18.7 vs 13 lbs

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Friday, May 28, 2010 9:03 am Email this article
Women instructed to eat either a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet or a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet lost more weight than those who were instructed to eat a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet according to a recent study from researchers at the Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research in Dunedin, New Zealand. "This study provides strong support for the use of higher protein diets as an alternative to the conventional [high-carbohydrate, low-fat] approach," the researchers concluded. 6 Month Weight Loss

6 month weight loss: 17.6 lbs for high-protein vs 18.7 lbs for high-fat vs 13 lbs high-carbohydrate

The average weight loss after six months was 17.6 pounds or 8.5 percent of their body weight for those instructed to eat a high-protein diet versus 18.7 pounds or 8.7 percent of their body weight for those instructed to eat a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet versus 13 pounds or 6 percent of their body weight for those instructed to eat a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet.

 

Subjects

Subjects: 93 overweight insulin-resistant women

The study involved 93 overweight insulin-resistant women.

 

Dietary Advice

Dietary advice intended to cause weight loss for 2 months followed by weight maintenance

The dietary advice for each diet was intended to cause weight loss during the first two months, then weight maintenance for the next two months.

After four months, the women were asked to continue following their diets for a total of one-year.

 

High-Protein Diet

High-protein, low-carbohydrate dietary advice: 30% protein, 30% fat, 40% carbohydrates

Those in the high-protein, low-carbohydrate group were instructed to eat 40 percent of their calories from low-glycemic index carbohydrates, 30 percent from fat—mostly unsaturated fat—and 30 percent from protein.

 

High-Fat, Low-Carbohydrate Diet

High-fat, low-carbohydate diet: 20 grams of carbs per day for two weeks, no more than 50 grams from then on

Those in the low-carbohydrate, high-fat group were instructed to eat no more than 20 grams of carbohydrates per day for the first two weeks.

Then increase the amount to 50 grams per day by the end of two months (8 weeks) and limit carbohydrate intake to 50 grams per day from then on.

 

High-Fat, Low-Carbohydrate Diet

High-carb, low-fat diet: 55% carbohydrates, less than 30% fat and 15% protein

Those in the high-carbohydrate, low-fat group were instructed to eat at least 55 percent of total calories from carbohydrates, less than 30 percent from fat including less than 8 percent from saturated fat, 15 percent from protein and consume 25–30 grams per day of dietary fiber.

REFERENCE

McAuley K, Smith K, Taylor R, Mclay R, Williams S, Mann J. Long-term effects of popular dietary approaches on weight loss and features of insulin resistance. Int J Obes (Lond). 2006 Feb, 30(2):342-49.

AUTHOR’S CONTACT INFORMATION

Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Professor J. I. Mann
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences
Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research
University of Otago
PO Box 913
Dunedin, New Zealand
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