Scientists give thumbs-up to Atkins

Low-carbohydrate Atkins-style diets were given a vote of approval today by two separate teams of scientists.

Both studies compared the effect of low-carbohydrate and conventional low-fat diets on groups of overweight patients.

Each found that after six months the low-carb group had lost more weight. Their levels of triglycerides - blood fats linked to heart disease - were also significantly lower.

While changes in "bad" cholesterol - low density lipoprotein -(LDL) were not significant, the low-carb group ended up with higher levels of "good" cholesterol, or high density lipoprotein (HDL).

Although the low-carb dieters lost more weight initially, one of the studies showed that after 12 months both groups had shed about the same number of pounds.

Nevertheless, the scientists were impressed by the effectiveness of the Atkins-style diet.

Researchers from Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, assigned 120 obese volunteers either to a low-carbohydrate, high protein diet, or a low-fat, low cholesterol diet.

After six months the Atkins-style dieters had lost an average of 26lbs, compared with 14lbs for the low-fat dieters. They also lost more body fat, nearly halved their triglyceride levels, and their HDL levels jumped five points.

Powerful

Dr Will Yancy, who led the study, said: "This diet can be quite powerful. We found that the low-carb diet was more effective for weight loss. The weight loss surprised me, to be honest with you."

The other study, conducted by researchers at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Philadelphia, followed 132 obese patients split into low-carb and low-fat groups.

After six months, the low-carb group had lost more weight. But continuing the study to 12 months showed that by this time both groups had lost about the same, up to 19lbs.

Triglyceride levels had decreased more and HDL levels less for the low-carb dieters.

Dr Linda Stern, who led the Philadelphia study, said: "I think a low-carbohydrate diet is a good choice because much of our overeating has to do with consumption of too many carbohydrates."

However, she said more research was needed to see if a low-carb diet remained safe and effective over long periods of time.

Both studies were published today in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Dr Walter Willett, from the Harvard School of Public Health, who wrote an editorial accompanying the papers, said: "We can no longer dismiss very low-carbohydrate diets. We can encourage overweight patients to experiment with various methods for weight control, including reduced carbohydrate diets, as long as they emphasise healthy sources of fat and protein and incorporate regular physical activity.

"Patients should focus on finding ways to eat that they can maintain indefinitely rather than seeking diets that promote rapid weight loss."

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