A low-fat diet can help dieters lose weight, but a moderate-fat diet that contains plenty of healthy, plant-based fats is a better choice for boosting cardiovascular health while shedding pounds. In a new study, people on low-fat and moderate-fat diets both lost weight, but those on the moderate-fat diet experienced a greater reduction in cardiovascular risk.
A low-fat diet can help people lose weight, but a moderate-fat diet that contains plenty of healthy, plant-based fats is a better choice for boosting heart health while shedding weight. In a new study, people on low-fat and moderate-fat diets both lost weight, but those on the moderate-fat diet experienced a greater reduction in cardiovascular or heart risk. Researchers from the State University of New York at Buffalo, USA, compared the effects of low-fat and moderate-fat diets in 53 overweight and obese men and women. For 6 weeks, people in the low-fat group consumed a diet in which 18 percent of total calories came from fat, while for those in the moderate-fat group 33 percent of calories came from fat. For the first 6 weeks, the diets were designed to help people lose about 2 pounds per week. After that, participants were put on a 4-week weight-maintenance plan. Both the low- and moderate-fat diets led to weight loss, but the moderate-fat diet had a more positive influence on markers of heart health.Even though both groups of dieters experienced a drop in LDL, or 'bad' cholesterol, the low-fat group also experienced a drop in levels of HDL, or 'good' cholesterol after losing weight. HDL levels did not return to normal even after the 4-week weight-maintenance programme. In contrast, HDL levels remained steady in people who consumed a moderate-fat diet. They also experienced other improvements in cardiovascular health, including a decrease in triacylglycerol, a fatty substance linked to heart disease.
The results show that there are alternatives to a low-fat diet when it comes to losing weight and reducing the risk for heart disease. The researchers point out that a moderate-fat diet is easier to stick to in the long run than a low-fat plan. To incorporate healthy monounsaturated fats into the diet, the researchers recommended using olive or peanut oils as a cooking medium and adding nuts and seeds to salads. It is best to avoid saturated fats that are known to increase the risk of heart disease.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
January 2004
January 2004
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