Studies have repeatedly shown that obese and over weight people who cut
their fat intake by 10 percent lose weight. The difficulty, however, lies in
the time frame. Low fat diets take longer.
In another report published by Astrup, two studies examined low carb and low
fat diets. Both studies showed that in the first six months, those on low carb
diets lost nearly double the amount of weight as those on low fat diets. Yet,
after 12 months, both groups had lost the same amount.
Researchers in this study also warned against cutting whole grains and
fruits from your diet, as suggested in most low carb programs. Doing so
deprives your body of the benefits of these foods, and may increase your risk
of cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Additionally, long term, low fat diets seem to be the way to keep the weight
off—especially when researchers are still unsure of the long-term effects of
low carb diets. An article printed in the Jan/Feb 2002 FDA Consumer Magazine
touted low fat diets as the long range way to go if you want to keep the weight
off. Of the more than 3,000 American adults who lost 60 pounds and kept the
weight off for six years, less than 1 percent ate low carb diets. By and large,
the majority of respondents ate a low-fat diet.
Glycemic Index
Astrup’s report spared a word for the recent excitement over the glycemic
index (GI). GI measures how efficiently the body metabolizes certain foods and
ranks carbohydrates by how much they raise a person’s blood sugar levels. The
index works on the assumption that foods with a low GI will help a person lower
their blood sugar levels and lose weight. Astrup, however, feels differently,
stating that there is little evidence to suggest any difference between low and
high GI foods.