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Tag: best diets

  • Weight Loss Benefits Persist Even After Regaining Some Pounds

    Weight Loss Benefits Persist Even After Regaining Some Pounds

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    March 28, 2023 – A new analysis gives a promising answer to the weight loss question: Is it better to have lost and gained, than never to have lost at all?

    People who lost weight but regained some of it experienced sustained health improvements for at least 5 years after the initial weight loss, a new study says. The prolonged benefits included lowered risks of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, as well as improved blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

    “Many doctors and patients recognize that weight loss is often followed by weight regain, and they fear that this renders an attempt to lose weight pointless,” said University of Oxford professor and researcher Susan A. Jebb, PhD, in a statement. “This concept has become a barrier to offering support to people to lose weight. For people with overweight or obesity issues, losing weight is an effective way to reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.”

    The results were published on Tuesday in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. The researchers analyzed data from 124 previously published studies in which people lost weight in what are called “behavioral weight loss programs.” Those programs focus on lifestyle and behavior changes such as eating healthy foods and increasing physical activity. 

    The average participant was 51 years old and considered obese based on body mass index (a measure that combines weight and height). On average, people lost between 5 and 10 pounds and typically regained less than 1 pound per year. 

    People who participated in the most intensive programs had significant long-lasting benefits, compared to people in less intensive programs or who followed no formal weight loss program at all. Programs that were considered intensive had features such as partial or total meal replacement, intermittent fasting, or financial incentives contingent on weight loss.

    Specific average benefits included:

    • Systolic blood pressure was decreased by 1.5 points one year after program participation, and by 0.4 points lower at 5 years.
    • The level of HbA1c, a protein in red blood cells used to test for diabetes, saw a sustained 5-year reduction.
    • A cholesterol measure that compares total cholesterol to “good” or HDL cholesterol was 1.5 points lower at the 1-year and 5-year marks after participation in an intensive program.

    The benefits of weight loss did diminish as people regained more and more weight, the researchers found.

    Obesity affects 42% of U.S. adults, according to the CDC, and is known to increase the risk of many dangerous health conditions, including heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the U.S. Obesity is defined as a body mass index of 30 or higher.

    The new findings could play a particularly important role in addressing weight gain that often happens after people stop taking weight loss medications, wrote Vishal N. Rao, MD, MPH, and Neha J. Pagidipati, MD, MPH, both of the Duke University School of Medicine, in a letter published alongside the new study. They called the reported risk reductions “favorable, although modest,” and said data showing longer-term results are needed.

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  • Weight Loss Benefits Persist Even After Regaining Some Pounds

    Weight Loss Benefits Persist Even After Regaining Some Pounds

    [ad_1]

    March 28, 2023 – A new analysis gives a promising answer to the weight loss question: Is it better to have lost and gained, than never to have lost at all?

    People who lost weight but regained some of it experienced sustained health improvements for at least 5 years after the initial weight loss, a new study says. The prolonged benefits included lowered risks of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, as well as improved blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

    “Many doctors and patients recognize that weight loss is often followed by weight regain, and they fear that this renders an attempt to lose weight pointless,” said University of Oxford professor and researcher Susan A. Jebb, PhD, in a statement. “This concept has become a barrier to offering support to people to lose weight. For people with overweight or obesity issues, losing weight is an effective way to reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.”

    The results were published on Tuesday in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. The researchers analyzed data from 124 previously published studies in which people lost weight in what are called “behavioral weight loss programs.” Those programs focus on lifestyle and behavior changes such as eating healthy foods and increasing physical activity. 

    The average participant was 51 years old and considered obese based on body mass index (a measure that combines weight and height). On average, people lost between 5 and 10 pounds and typically regained less than 1 pound per year. 

    People who participated in the most intensive programs had significant long-lasting benefits, compared to people in less intensive programs or who followed no formal weight loss program at all. Programs that were considered intensive had features such as partial or total meal replacement, intermittent fasting, or financial incentives contingent on weight loss.

    Specific average benefits included:

    • Systolic blood pressure was decreased by 1.5 points one year after program participation, and by 0.4 points lower at 5 years.
    • The level of HbA1c, a protein in red blood cells used to test for diabetes, saw a sustained 5-year reduction.
    • A cholesterol measure that compares total cholesterol to “good” or HDL cholesterol was 1.5 points lower at the 1-year and 5-year marks after participation in an intensive program.

    The benefits of weight loss did diminish as people regained more and more weight, the researchers found.

    Obesity affects 42% of U.S. adults, according to the CDC, and is known to increase the risk of many dangerous health conditions, including heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the U.S. Obesity is defined as a body mass index of 30 or higher.

    The new findings could play a particularly important role in addressing weight gain that often happens after people stop taking weight loss medications, wrote Vishal N. Rao, MD, MPH, and Neha J. Pagidipati, MD, MPH, both of the Duke University School of Medicine, in a letter published alongside the new study. They called the reported risk reductions “favorable, although modest,” and said data showing longer-term results are needed.

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  • Cutting Calories Could Slow the Pace of Aging: Study

    Cutting Calories Could Slow the Pace of Aging: Study

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    Feb. 14, 2023 – A new study says we can slow the pace at which we age by 2% to 3% if we lower the number of calories we eat by 25%. That may seem like a little benefit for a large cut in calories. But experts say it’s actually a pretty big deal. 

    “In other studies, that same difference in pace of aging had meaningful consequences for people’s risk of dying,” says senior study author Daniel W. Belsky, PhD, a researcher at the Butler Columbia Aging Center at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York City.

    Cutting calories by 25% slowed down the pace of aging in young and middle-aged adults by a few percentage points, compared to people who continued eating normally, the new research reveals. This first-of-its-kind study in humans adds to evidence from animal studies that the rate of aging can be changed. 

    Compared to 75 people who ate normally, the 145 people randomly assigned to cut back their calories slowed their pace of aging by 2% to 3% over 2 years in the  randomized controlled trial. 

    For example, a similar slowdown in the pace of aging was associated with a 10% to 15% lower risk of dying over 10 to 15 years in previous work, Belsky says. “So 2 to 3% slower aging doesn’t sound like maybe that big of a deal – but 10 to 15 percent reduction in risk of dying seems like a big deal.” 

    Results of the study were published last week in the journal Nature Aging. 

    Even though the pace of aging slowed, the researchers did not find significant changes on two biological aging measures in the study, suggesting more work is needed. 

    The findings “are intriguing in that caloric restriction seemed to show a slower pace of aging in healthy adults,” says Vandana Sheth, a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of a nutrition consulting firm in Los Angeles. “This can have a significant impact on population health. However, larger studies need to be done to follow up on these findings.”

    ‘Exciting Result’

    Asked if the findings imply aging could be slowed down in people, Belsky said, “That is the … exciting result from the trial. These results suggest it may be possible to slow the pace of biological aging with a behavioral intervention.”

    But not everyone is completely convinced. 

    “This is good suggestive evidence that caloric restriction can modify aspects of biological aging in humans, similar to what has been known in laboratory animals for many decades,” says Matt Kaeberlein, PhD, director of the Healthy Aging and Longevity Research Institute at the University of Washington in Seattle and senior author of “Antiaging diets: Separating fact from fiction,” a 2021 review article in Science. 

    Part of his concern is that cutting your calories by a quarter may not be a sustainable long-term strategy.  

    “It’s important to keep in mind that these measurements only report on a portion of biological aging and are probably not an accurate overall measurement of biological age or the rate of biological aging,” Kaeberlein says. The findings might suggest that “at the population level, a 25% reduction in caloric intake is unlikely to have large effects on biological aging unless implemented over many years, which is likely not reasonable for most people.”

    Insight Into Intermittent Fasting?

    Cutting back on calories is related to other dietary strategies, including intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating, Belsky says. “Intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating are nutritional interventions that have been developed, in part, because in experiments with animals, they have some of the same biological effects as calorie restriction.”

    There remain many unanswered questions. 

    “There are people who would argue that the reason calorie restriction does what it does is because when people are calorie-restricted, they also tend to restrict the times when they eat,” Belsky says. “They tend to have these longer fasts during the day.” 

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  • Best Diets in 2023: Mediterranean Diet Wins Again

    Best Diets in 2023: Mediterranean Diet Wins Again

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    Jan. 3, 2022 – It’s officially 2023, and if history repeats, millions of Americans are likely vowing that this year will be one when they drop those unwanted pounds for good. After all, weight loss usually lands one of the top spots on New Year’s resolution surveys. 

    And just in time, there’s guidance to pick the best plan. Released today are U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings of the best diet plans.

    Once again, the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, olive oil, and fish, got the top spot, as best diet overall. It’s the sixth consecutive year for that win. But many other diets got top marks as well.

    This year, U.S. News, with the help of more than 30 nutritionists, doctors, and epidemiologists, ranked 24 diets in several categories to help people find a plan that meets their goals, whether it’s finding the best weight loss diet, easiest one to follow, or plans for other goals, such as managing diabetes or heart disease. Two new categories were added: Best Diets for Bone & Joint Health and Best Family-Friendly Diets. 

    In previous years, the publication ranked 40 diets. Even if a diet is no longer ranked, its profile with detailed information remains on the site. 

    “Each year we ask ourselves what we can do better or differently next time,” says Gretel Schueller, managing editor of health for U.S. News. When the publication got feedback from their experts this year, they had requests to consider sustainability of diets and whether they meet a busy family’s needs, in addition to considering many other factors. 

    This year’s report ranks plans in 11 categories.

    The winners and the categories:

    Best Diets Overall

    After the Mediterranean diet, two others tied for second place:

    • DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, which fights high blood pressure and emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy.
    • Flexitarian diet, which focuses on fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods but also allows occasional meat.

    Best Weight Loss Diets

    WW, formerly known as Weight Watchers, got first place. The plan emphasizes not only weight loss but healthier eating and regular activity. The Points program, which assigns specific points to foods, with a daily Points budget, is more personalized than in the past.

    • DASH got second place.
    • Mayo Clinic Diet and TLC diet tied for third place. The Mayo Clinic Diet focuses on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. It helps people improve their eating habits. The TLC diet (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) focuses on vegetables, fruit, lean protein, and reducing cholesterol levels. 

    Best Fast Weight Loss Diets

    The keto diet got first place. It’s a high-fat, low-carb diet that aims to achieve weight loss through fat burning. Four others tied for second place:

    • Atkins, a diet created by the cardiologist Robert Atkins, which begins with very few carbs and then recommends progressively eating more until the weight loss goal is achieved 
    • Nutrisystem, a commercial program that includes prepackaged meals and focuses on high-protein, lower-glycemic foods to stabilize blood sugar levels
    • Optavia, a plan focused on low-carb, low-calorie foods and including fortified meal replacements 
    • SlimFast Diet, a plan of shakes, smoothies, and meal bars to replace two of three meals a day

    Best Diets for Healthy Eating

    • Mediterranean
    • DASH
    • Flexitarian

    Best Heart-Healthy Diets

    • DASH
    • Mediterranean
    • Flexitarian and Ornish tied for third. The Ornish Diet focuses on plant-based and whole foods and limiting animal products. It recommends daily exercise and stress reduction.

    Best Diets for Diabetes

    • DASH
    • Mediterranean
    • Flexitarian

    Best Diets for Bone and Joint Health

    DASH and Mediterranean are in a first-place tie, followed by the flexitarian diet.

    Best Family-Friendly Diets

    This category has a three-way tie: the flexitarian, Mediterranean, and TLC diets. 

    Best Plant-Based Diets

    Mediterranean was first, then flexitarian and the MIND diet. The MIND diet combines the DASH and Mediterranean diets and focuses on “brain-healthy” foods.

    Easiest Diets to Follow

    Flexitarian and TLC tied for first, followed by a tie between DASH and Mediterranean.

    Best Diet Programs (formerly called commercial plans)

    • WW
    • There was a tie for second place between Jenny Craig and Noom, the latter of which focuses on low-calorie foods, with personalized calorie ranges and coaching to help meet goals.

    Methodology

    A variety of factors were considered, such as whether a diet includes all food groups, how easy it is to follow, whether it can be customized to meet cultural and personal preferences, and if it has a realistic timeline for weight loss. 

    Response from Diet Plans

    Representatives from two plans that received mixed reviews in the rankings responded.

    Jenny Craig was ranked second for best diet program but much lower for family-friendly, landing at 22nd place of 24. 

    “Our program is designed to address the needs of the individual through personalized experiences,” Jenny Craig CEO Mandy Dowson says. “We have many families that participate in our program together but are still evaluated separately to determine appropriate individual goals.”

    Its high ranking for best diet program reflects feedback from satisfied members, she says. Among advances will be the new Jenny Fresh program, a line of entrées prepared fresh and delivered to customers’ doors.

    Atkins got second place for best fast weight loss but ranked near the bottom for best overall, best weight loss, diabetes, healthy eating, and heart health. In response, Colette Heimowitz, vice president of nutrition and education for Simply Good Foods, which makes Atkins’s food products, says that low-carb eating approaches are a viable option for anyone today.

    “There are more than 130 independent, peer-reviewed published studies that show the efficacy and safety of low-carb eating,” she says. “The studies have been conducted for several decades and counting.” 

    Expert Perspective

    Samantha Cassetty, a registered dietitian, nutritionist, and wellness expert in New York City and author of Sugar Shock, reviewed the report for WebMD. She was not involved in the rankings.

    “I think what this shows you is, the best diet overall is also the best for various conditions,” she says. For instance, the Mediterranean, the number one overall, also got high ranking for diabetes, heart health, and bone and joint health, she points out.

    For consumers trying to lose weight: “If you see fast weight loss, that should be a red flag. A healthy diet for weight loss is one you can sustain,” she says. 

    She’s not a fan of the programs with prepackaged foods. “It takes the guesswork out, but the portion sizes tend to be unsatisfying. They don’t teach you how to deal with some of the challenges [such as realizing an ‘ideal’ portion size].”

    How to Use the Report

    Schueller’s advice: “Recognize that no diet fits everyone.” When considering which plan to choose, she suggests thinking long-term. 

    “Whatever we choose has to work in the long run,” she says.

    Consumers should consider expenses, meal prep time, and whether the diet fits their lifestyle.

    Ideally, she says, the best diet “teaches you smart food preparation and how to make healthy choices, allows the flexibility to be social and eat with groups, whether family or friends.”

    Before choosing a diet to follow, consult a medical professional for input on the decision, U.S. News cautions.

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