Moderate-Fat Diet Effective, Heart-Healthy

Moderate-Fat Diet Effective, Heart-Healthy

BUFFALO, N.Y.--A diet higher in unsaturated fats may help promoteheart health and be effective for weight loss, according to a study published inthe American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (79, 2:204-12, 2004) (www.ajcn.org).

Researchers examined the effects of energy-controlled low- and moderate-fatdiets on cholesterol and triglyceride levels during the 10-week trial.Overweight and obese men and women followed either a low-fat (18 percent ofenergy) or a moderate-fat (33 percent of energy) diet for six weeks, which wasfollowed by a four-week weight-maintenance period. Both groups lost an averageof 2.5 pounds per week during the six-week weight-loss period, and lowered totaland LDL cholesterol. However, during the weight-maintenance period, subjects onthe moderate-fat diet maintained higher HDL (good) cholesterol levels andlowered triglycerol levels and their LDL-to-HDL ratio, according to the study.Conversely, HDL levels dropped in the low-fat diet group, triglyceride levelsrebounded and no change in LDL-to-HDL ratio was reported. Researchers concludeda moderate-fat diet is an effective weight-loss and weight-maintenance tool, andmay improve cardiovascular disease risk factors by favorably affecting lipidsand lipoproteins. The study was funded by The Peanut Institute.