Search Weight Loss Topics:




Jun 28

Atkins-Type Diets: Bad for the Heart?

Ever try the Atkins diet? Diets low in carbohydrates and high in proteins may increase the risk of heart disease, according to a new study published in the journal BMJ.

A group of European researchers led by Pagona Lagiou of the University of Athens Medical School in Greece assessed the diets of more than 43,000 Swedish women ages 30 to 49, and followed them for an average of almost 16 years. Women who consumed a diet consisting of low carbohydrate and high protein intake were at a 5 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease later. By the end of the end of the study period, 1,270 women developed heart disease.

Consuming as little as 20 fewer grams of carbohydrates and 5 more grams of protein per day accounted for the increase, the researchers found.

The actual number of women who developed heart disease was small -- about four or five extra cases per 10,000 women per year -- but the authors said that amounted to a considerable number over time.

Data from other studies that evaluated the relationship between low-carb diets and the risk of cardiovascular disease have been mixed.

The Nurses' Health Study from 1991 found no association between a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet and heart disease. Other more recent research, however, did find a link between these diets and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

But not all proteins are alike, which can make a difference in how heart-unhealthy this type of diet is.

"Low carbohydrate-high protein diets may be nutritionally acceptable if the protein is mainly of plant origin and the reduction of carbohydrates applies to simple and refined carbohydrates," the authors wrote.

One of the problems with Atkins-type diets is they are difficult to maintain, nutrition experts said. At the height of their popularity, there were also concerns that people who ate a lot of protein in the form of red meat and also ate very little fiber put themselves at risk for disease.

The goal of the once-popular diets, nutrition experts said, is short-term weight loss.

See the original post:
Atkins-Type Diets: Bad for the Heart?

Related Posts

    Your Full Name

    Your Email

    Your Phone Number

    Select your age (30+ only)

    Select Your US State

    Program Choice

    Confirm over 30 years old

    Yes

    Confirm that you resident in USA

    Yes

    This is a Serious Inquiry

    Yes

    Message:



    matomo tracker