Three diets compared

Reporter: Catherine Kennedy
Broadcast Date: April 15, 2005

People are desperate for weight-loss solutions, many prepared to take extreme measures. CSIRO decided to scientifically test three of the most popular diets: Atkins, very low fat and the National Heart Foundation.

Dr Peter Clifton, manager of the CSIRO's nutrition clinic, said they wanted to do a controlled study.

[Related story: Science of slimming]

"Everything that was important in terms of cardiovascular risk as well as assessing the ability for people to stick to the diet and whether they liked the diet," Dr Clifton said.

His Adelaide study involved 120 people on the three diets consuming 1400 calories per day for 12 weeks and exercise three times a week for 30 minutes.

The Atkins Diet

Patricia Wallace, a grandmother, road tested the Atkins Diet.

[Related story: The all-meat diet]

The Atkins Diet is high in fats and protein and low in carbohydrates. A typical breakfast consists of eggs while lunch and dinner is meat or fish with salad or vegetables.

[Related story: The Atkin Diet]

Very Low Fat diet

Linda Higgins, mother of three children, has always struggled with her weight. She went on the very low fat diet.

"I learnt how to read labels and have become more discerning in the food choices that I make," Ms Higgins said.

She had cereal and toast for breakfast, a salad sandwich for lunch and for dinner, there were a number of meals to choose from.

[Related story: Sizing up low fat milk]

National Heart Foundation eating plan

Mother of three, Lucy Cirocco, went on the National Heart Foundation eating plan.

Ms Cirocco's diet plan was very similar to the very low fat diet.

The main differences were it had less carbohydrates and healthy snacks consisted of yogurt or nuts.

The results

Dr Clifton said the diet that performed the best was the National Heart Foundation.

"My blood pressure wasn't high to start off with but my cholesterol was a little bit high and that came down quite drastically by the end of the diet," Ms Cirocco said.

"I just felt really terrific on it, lots of energy, I was exercising and felt quite fit and healthy," she added.

She lost 7kgs and is staying with the diet.

Ms Higgins lost 9.5kgs on the very low fat diet which was ranked second.

The Atkins Diet came last, even though people on it lost more weight, with Ms Wallace losing almost 10kg.

Dr Clifton said that the cardiovascular risk, in terms of fat in the blood, is unchanged by being on the Atkins Diet.

"It's actually very difficult to decide at the end of the day on the Atkins Diet whether it's improved your risk, decreased, increased your risk or neutral," he said.

[Related story: Atkins Diet under fire]

There is a significant and previously unknown discover with the Atkins Diet.

Dr Clifton found an increase in a type of amino acid which he believes could contribute to heart disease.

"There was on other factor called homosystene which is an amino acid that comes from protein floating around the blood and that's a risk factor for heart disease," he said.

"It actually went up on the Atkins Diet and that's the first time that's been observed," Dr Clifton added.

For those wanting to lose weight without going on a radical diet Dr Clifton has some simple advice:

Eat much of the same but smaller portions

* Include plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables
* Exercise regularly

[Related story: Kick-Start Diet]

CSIRO well-being diet: www.csiro.au/proprietaryDocuments/MLA_diet.pdf

Fad diets under the microscope: www.invest.vic.gov.au/News/News/Fads.htm

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