Study Popular diets mostly without success

Researchers compare diets

15/11/2014

So far, studies have been able to prove whether a diet is successful or not. But the long-term effects have hardly been studied so far. In addition, diets were never examined in direct comparison. Canadian cardiologists and epidemiologists have explored this issue in research. A research team around Dr. Renée Atallah, from the University of Montreal, has studied previous studies on four popular diets in North America: the Atkins, Zone, Weight Watchers, and South Beach diets. In doing so, they only analyzed randomized controlled trials in which control groups were used for comparison.

Sobering results
As a result, the Weight-Watchers (four trials) program was superior to other forms of weight loss. In many cases, the subjects were able to sustainably lower and maintain their weight in many cases. The other diets were able to achieve short-term weight loss success. „But the longer the studies lasted the lower were the long-term effects“, as it says in the study report. The sobering result was also seen in Weight Watchers. After two years of running many participants had returned to their original weight. Some even had more pounds on it than before. In a direct comparison, Weight Watcher did not fare better in the long-term than any other diet or control group studied. The average weight loss was here after 3 years at 3 to 5 kg. In the control group, however, this was also about 2.5 kg.

Self-mortification through diets usually pointless
The Freiburg sports physician Dr. med. Michael Lehmann warns: „Self-dieting through diets is usually not only meaningless, but also risky. "Diets make it more obese .. In addition to a balanced diet, especially sport is extremely important for a desired weight loss. „Cycling stimulates the metabolism, "says Lehmann, „and is especially suitable for overweight people.“ When cycling, the joints are relieved, as the body weight is carried by the bike. In addition, in principle, one decreases when more calories are burned than absorbed. „If this energy balance is right, no diet is necessary. "However, for both regular exercise and long-term dietary changes, one must adhere to one's own established rules to successfully lose weight.

Man eats what he likes
Professor med. Andreas F. H. Pfeiffer, Head of the Department of Clinical Nutrition at the German Institute of Human Nutrition (DIfE) Potsdam-Rehbrücke and Head of the Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition of the Charité explains: „Dietary concepts for long-term weight management have been developed in numerous studies, but have failed so far in the majority of people in practice.“ He further explains: „In the long term, people eat what they like best and it is extremely difficult to change their dietary patterns.“ The problem is that for many people, foods that are high in fat and sugars that are very energetic are appealing in flavor. In order to be able to counteract an increase in obesity and associated diseases such as diabetes mellitus or cardiovascular diseases, healthier, lower-energy foods would have to be developed, but they would also saturate. „These would be beneficial for both patients with sugar metabolism disorders and for healthy people, "said Pfeiffer, adding that the development of soups, pasta, bakery products, bread and snacks containing a higher proportion of vegetable protein and insoluble, non-fermentable fiber are examples of this. A diet that has low and vegetable fat, as well as lean and vegetable protein, a lot of vegetables and a low glycemic index overall, can support a lasting weight loss most successfully, as the result of several studies According to the vegetarians of Germany (Vebu) can help a vegetarian diet lose excess weight. (sb)