It doesn't matter what diet you choose - just stick with it!

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

A study comparing four popular diet plans finds that there's no difference between them when it comes to weight loss.
Do you want to lose some weight in 2005? And are you wondering which is the best way - low fat, low carb or calorie counting? Researchers at Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston, USA, now report on a comparison between the calorie restriction, low carb, glycemic index, and low fat approaches.

They enrolled 160 overweight or obese adults aged 22 to 72 years, with high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. They were assigned to one of the four diet plans at random, followed it strictly for two months and were then left for a year to choose their own level of adherence.

Weight loss was modest - not more than seven pounds - and not much different between the diet plans. As you might expect, those who adhered to the plan got the best results - not just weight loss but improvement in cholesterol levels too. But only ten per cent of the participants lost more than ten per cent of body weight - an amount that would give you very significant health benefits. The message is clear - sticking to the diet is more important than the nature of the diet, so why not go for the one that best suits your individual preferences and lifestyle?

Source
Journal of the American Medical Association 5th January 2005 Volume 293 pages 43-53