How exciting to see Beer Sheva’s own Ben Gurion University of the Negev getting top spot in the news. Among the researchers are several members of the nutrition faculty who consulted with me on my book.
For two years they studied the effects of three different weight-loss diets on over 300 employees at the nuclear research facility just south of here in Dimona.
In a nutshell:
The three diets were low-fat and low-calorie, Mediterranean low-calorie, and low-carbohydrate.
Everyone lost weight.
Men lost the most weight on the low-carbohydrate diet. Women lost the most on the Mediterranean diet.
HDL (good cholesterol) increased and triglycerides (fats in the bloodstream linked to atherosclerosis) decreased the most in the low-carbohydrate diet group. Reductions in LDL (bad cholesterol) were most pronounced in those who followed the Mediterranean diet.
In diabetics (about 10% of the total participants), the Mediterranean diet appeared to improve fasting glucose levels.
What can we learn from this study?
Weight loss is most successful when diet plans are tailored to individual preferences. A “one-size-fits-all” low-calorie diet may not be the best fit for everyone after all.
The complete study was published in the July 17, 2008 edition of The New England Journal of Medicine.
Hi Chana!
ReplyDeleteJust curious about the reference to the 'Mediterranean diet' in the journal you quoted. What is it comprised of? What is the idea behind it?
Sarah Klein, still in the US for another 9 days....
Good question Sarah!
ReplyDeleteThe Mediterranean diet originates from studies done in the 1950s and 60s in Greece and southern Italy. In those areas,the traditional diet was mainly plant based - vegetables, fruit, whole-grains, nuts, seeds and legumes. Olive oil was the main dietary fat. Fish, poultry and red meat were eaten infrequently. Dairy products were eaten regularly but in small quantities.
The studies showed that these populations had very high life expectancies and low rates of heart disease and some cancers.
There are definitely other factors involved here - physical activity, overweight and obesity, smoking and genetics all need to be added to the equation.
But later studies have documented the health benefits of the Mediterranean-type diet in people living in various other countries, including the U.S.
I would certainly recommend a Mediterranean-style diet as being healthy, safe, easy to follow and delicious.
Chana