Low-Fat Diets Not More Effective Than Higher-Fat Diets For Long-Term Weight Loss

Deirdre Tobias, an associate epidemiologist at Harvard Medical School and Brigham
and Women's Hospital in Boston and her colleagues conducted their analysis that looked at 53 published studies involving more than 68,000 adults.
Those on low-fat diets did lose weight. But, those on low-carbohydrate diets were
slightly more than 2 pounds lighter than those on low-fat diets after a follow-up of at least one year.
The average weight loss across all groups was 6 pounds, the researchers said.

The key to success seems to have more to do with adherence than a specific weight-loss plan, Tobias
said. "Being able to stick to a diet in the long term will probably predict whether or not a diet is successful for weight loss," she said. She advised that anyone wanting to lose weight find a sound weight-loss program that fits their preferences and cultural needs.

"The conclusion from this, and similar studies, is that weight loss is not a result of limiting one calorie
nutrient over another, and that achieving weight loss is likely a matter of calorie control, in a manner that
works for the individual," she added.


Culled from WebMd.com