The
Heart Association
Condemns High-Protein Diets
The Atkins Diet, The Zone, Protein Power, Sugar Busters and
the Stillman Diet all came under the attack of the Nutrition Committee
of the American Heart Association (AHA) in a report in the October 9,
2001 issue of the journal Circulation (104:1869-74, 2001).1
The
abstract of this article clearly condemns these diets, �High-protein diets
typically offer wide latitude in protein food choices, are restrictive in
other food choices (mainly carbohydrates), and provide structured eating
plans. They also often promote misconceptions about carbohydrates, insulin
resistance, ketosis, and fat burning as mechanisms of action for weight
loss � These diets are generally associated with higher intakes of total
fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol because the protein is provided mainly
by animal sources. In high-protein diets, weight loss is initially high
due to fluid loss related to reduced carbohydrate intake, overall caloric
restriction, and ketosis-induced appetite suppression. Beneficial effects
on blood lipids and insulin resistance are due to the weight loss, not to
the change in caloric composition � High-protein diets are not recommended
because they restrict healthful foods that provide essential nutrients and
do not provide the variety of foods needed to adequately meet nutritional
needs. Individuals who follow these diets are therefore at risk for
compromised vitamin and mineral intake, as well as potential cardiac,
renal, bone, and liver abnormalities overall.�
Advocates of high-protein diets say their approach reduces the risk of
heart disease. The Nutrition Council of the AHA says: �A diet rich in
animal protein, saturated fat, and cholesterol raises low-density
lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, an effect that is compounded when
high-carbohydrate, high-fiber plant foods that help lower cholesterol are
limited or eliminated.� �High-protein diets may also be associated with
increased risk for coronary heart disease due to intakes of saturated fat,
cholesterol, and other associated dietary factors.�
Advocates of high-protein diets say their approach is especially good for
people with diabetes. The Nutrition Council of the AHA says: �A
very-high-protein diet is especially risky for patients with diabetes,
because it can speed the progression, even for short lengths of time, of
diabetic renal disease.�
COMMENT: Sure you can lose weight on a high-protein
diet, but you are also risking your health. The Nutrition Council of the
AHA specifically links these diets to heart disease, high blood pressure,
gout, cancer, and fatigue. If you look closely at the appearance of
advocates of these high-protein diets you will notice most of them can be
kindly described as appearing somewhere between overweight and portly.
This is clear evidence to me that the diets they recommend are too
difficult to follow � even their founders can not stick to their own
plans. Their personal appearance should discourage anyone from following
their recommendations.
See the �The Great Debate � High vs Low Protein� on
my web site
www.drmcdougall.com for an interesting discussion of high-protein
diets, and especially the Zone diet, with whose author I have engaged in
debate in three public forums.
1. St. Jeor, S. Dietary protein and weight
reduction: a statement for healthcare professionals from the Nutrition
Committee of the Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism
of the American Heart Association. Circulation 2001 Oct
9;104(15):1869-74.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11591629&dopt=Abstract
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