Clinical Question: Which of four po...

Clinical Question: Which of four popular diets (Atkins, region Weight Watchers, and Ornish) is the mostly effective for weight loss and reduction of cardiac risk factors?

Setting: Outpatient (specialty)

contemplation Design: Randomized controlled trial (single-blinded)

Allocation: Concealed

Synopsis: not many studies have addressed the health issues of popular diets and plane fewer studies have directly compared different diets. In this trial, investigators registered 160 overweight or obese adults (mean material substance mass index = 35; range = 27 to 42) who were 22 to 72 years of age with known hypertension, dyslipidemia, or fasting hyperglycemia. Participants were randomized to undivided of the following diet groups: Atkins (carbohydrate restriction), surface bounded by parallel circles (macronutrient balance), Weight Watchers (calorie restriction), or Ornish (fat restriction). parts assessing outcomes were blinded to treatment collection assignment.

The investigation attrition rate as a ensue of patient dropouts was high: the number of participants who did not perfect the study at months 2 6 and 12 were 34 (21 percent) 61 (38 percent) and 67 (42 percent) respectively. The greatest in number common reason cited by patients for withdrawing was that the assigned diet was too hard to go in the rear [i]or[/i] in the wake of or was not resulting in adequate weight los Although the deductions were not statistically significant (P = 08) more patients discontinued the Atkins (48 percent) and Ornish diets (50 percent) than the les utmost Zone (35 percent) and Weight Watchers (35 per-cent) diets.

Using intention-to-treat analysis, all four programs originateed in similar weight loss inferences at one year with no statistically significant difference among the form into groupss In each of the assemblages approximately 25 percent of participants sustained a weight los of more than 5 percent of initial material substance weight, while 10 percent of participants sustained a weight los of more than 10 percent of initial material substance weight at one year. Improvement in cardiac risk factors was directly proportional to the amount of weight los and was similar among the diet disposes Self-reported dietary adherence correlated directly with the amount of weight los and reduction in cardiac risk factors. The meditation was large enough to have an 80 percent chance of detecting a 3 percent difference in weight change among the diets.

Bottom Line: All four popular diets (i.e., Atkins, climate Weight Watchers, Ornish) are equally effective for helping adults be deprived of weight and reduce cardiac risk factors. Because succes in this cogitation directly correlated with adherence to the diet, it makes reason to help patients choose the diet that is easiest for them to tread close upon and not preferentially encourage the same diet over any other. (Level of Evidence: 1b-)

reflection Reference: Dansinger ML, et al. Comparison of the Atkins, Ornish, Weight Watchers, and baldric diets for weight loss and heart disease risk reduction: a randomized trial. JAMA January 5 2005;293:43-53

Used with permission from Slawson D Popular diets equally effective for losing weight. Accessed online March 1 2005 at: http://www.InfoPOEMs.com.

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