News Flash: Fewer Calories = Weight Loss

WASHINGTON--In 1999, two of the top ten New York Times best-selling books were diet books. Therefore, it was not surprising when the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) commissioned a report last May to study the effectiveness of those and other popular diets. The report, released Jan. 10, concluded that reducing that caloric intake yielded weight loss results.

In overweight-to-obese individuals consuming high-fat diets (Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, Protein Power), moderate-fat diets (e.g. USDA food pyramid, DASH diet, Weight Watchers) and low-fat diets (Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease, Eat More, Weigh Less), researchers found that any diet that consisted of 1,400 to 1,500 kcal/d was effective for sedentary individuals. All of these diets resulted in weight loss; however, researchers added that weight loss is not the same as weight maintenance.

In the end, it was caloric balance (calories taken in vs. calories burned off) that determined weight loss. Macronutrients (fats, carbohydrates and proteins) did not appear to play any role in weight loss achievement, but it is still uncertain if they affect weight maintenance. USDA researchers also noted that it is uncertain whether it was psychological or physiological factors that played the greatest role in weight loss and dietary adherence. It was concluded that controlled clinical trials for all of these diets are needed in order to study weight maintenance and long-term benefits or detriments.

While USDA did not draw specific conclusions about other health implications of any of the diets, medical professionals and nutritionists stepped into the fray with mainstream media to denounce or trumpet the results. For example, one doctor told Today show host Matt Lauer that the report just underscores weight loss basics and that programs such as Atkins' would get "no stars" for overall good health. A representative from the Atkins Center, however, told the Associated Press (AP) that the government is biased against programs like Atkins and are promoting the "same-old, low-fat propaganda."

USDA and its Human Nutrition Research Center will use the results from this study to develop a research protocol for studies on long-term weight loss and maintenance. For more information, visit www.usda.gov.

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