What The New Low-Carb Study REALLY Says - NEJM

[Arnold]

by Tom Venuto

A news media feeding frenzy erupted recently when a new diet study broke in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Almost all the reporters got it wrong, wrong WRONG! So did most of the gloating low carb forumites and bloggers. Come to think of it, almost everyone interpreted this study wrong. Some valuable insights came out of this study, but almost everyone missed them because they were too busy believing what the news said or defending their own cherished belief systems...

The new study, titled, "Weight Loss With a Low-Carbohydrate, Mediterranean, or Low-Fat Diet" was published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) in issue 359, number 3.I quickly read the full text of the research paper the day it was published. Then, I shook my head in dismay as I scanned the news headlines. I found it amusing that the media turned this into a three ring circus, putting a misleading "low carb versus high carb," "Atkins vindicated" or "Diet wars" spin on the story. But that's mainstream journalism for you, right? Gotta sell those papers!


Just look at some of these headlines:

"Study Tips Scales in Atkins Diets Favor: Low Carb Regimen Better Than Low Fat Diet For Weight And Cholesterol, Major Study Shows. " "Low-Carb and Low-Fat Diets Face Off "

"The Never-Ending Diet Wars"

"Low Carb Beats Low Fat in Diet Duel."

"Atkins Diet is Safe and Far More Effective Than a Low-Fat One, Study Says"

"Unrestricted Low-Carb Diet Wins Hands Down"

Some of these headlines are hilarious! I wonder if any of these reporters actually read the whole study. Geez. Is it too much trouble to read 13 pages before you write a story that will be read by millions of already confused people suffering the pain and frustration of obesity?

continue reading here...

 

[cpush]

Well the one thing I do appreciate from eating low carb is, for me at least, lower water retention. However I find a moderate carb/protein diet far more delicious and satisfying

 

[Built]

The one thing I appreciate with low-carb studies getting press is the assertion that they are indeed safe. When I did Atkins back in 2001, it was the only diet that had ever worked for me - every other way of eating made me so hungry I simply could not take it.

On Atkins, the weight FELL off me - and with no hunger.

I felt GREAT for the first time in my life. The only thing that made it tough was the pitying stares of family and friends who were lamenting the loss of my kidneys.

If you see my kidneys by the way, inform them that I am, in fact, dead, will you? They're probably out clubbing with my heart. You know, the one that's all clogged from the increased fat consumption...

Mmmm... fat!

 

[danzik17]

The only problem I have with Atkins is that they say stuff like "go ahead, eat that bacon, eggs, and steak for breakfast". Maybe they're not anymore, but that's what it used to be as far as I know.

That IS a one way street to heart problems, but through better control of the types of fats you are taking in that can be eliminated. Atkins was a great idea, but if taken at face value it can be dangerous.

 

[Built]

The only problem I have with Atkins is that they say stuff like "go ahead, eat that bacon, eggs, and steak for breakfast". Maybe they're not anymore, but that's what it used to be as far as I know.

Did you read the book?

That IS a one way street to heart problems, but through better control of the types of fats you are taking in that can be eliminated. Atkins was a great idea, but if taken at face value it can be dangerous.

Really? By "taken at face value", do you mean "reading the book cover to cover and following it to the letter", or do you mean "I heard a guy tell another guy about this guy who only ate bacon and eggs on the Atkins diet"?

I'll wait for your answer before I respond. I want to be sure I understand your position.

 

[danzik17]

Not really, I never had an interest in it at the time and most of the people I knew who did it were doing it by eating the kinds of things that I mentioned.

Face value meaning low carb, high fat/protein. No mention of the type of fat being consumed.

Whether it was because of the diet or not I don't know, doesn't help that the originator died....of a heart attack.

 

[P-funk]

a) read the book to get an idea of what it is about. don't listen to other people that think they know what atkins is about because it is just "don't eat carbs."

b) atkins died from bleeding in his brain after falling on ice in NYC (I believe it was).

 

[DaMayor]

Has anyone seen Built's kidneys.....Good Lord.

The reputation of the Atkins diet has been harmed most by those undisciplined people who customized it to their whims, and then misinformed their buddies about the plan.

Just like the couple my wife an I know who feel that they are still on the Atkins diet as long as they eat 8oz. of chicken salad with their pancakes and ice cream.

I'm back on the plan as of yesterday......my kidneys are impervious to the diet, as they, along with my liver, are pickled from alcohol consumption.

 

[danzik17]

I might be misinformed about Atkins then. I'd love to read the book, but I kind of have a shopping list of physiology/training books courtesy of Funk over here

Again this is all info that I had from before I even was interested in health/nutrition, so there's a good chance I'm just spouting shit.

 

[Built]

Thanks for the reply, danzik.

It's a common misconception - you're not alone in the knee-jerk reaction. There had been such a strong "low-fat, high-carb" push all through the eighties - where we were told high-protein diets would kill our kidneys etc etc… that when Atkins came out, it might as well have been Satan selling it. You wouldn't believe the pitying stares I got from well-intentioned friends and family members when I started. I looked and felt great, the weight was coming off… I stuck it out in spite of the warnings. But I got my blood lipids and kidney function tested a few times, just in case.

Anyone who is eating "all bacon and eggs, all the time" isn't "doing Atkins". I read that book cover to cover and followed it to the letter. By the time I was in the "ongoing weight loss" stage, I was eating more produce than any vegetarian I knew. I did eat bacon and eggs for breakfast every day. And a huge salad at lunch and broccoli and green beans at dinner, raw nuts, avocados… in a way, similar to how I still eat, actually. I'm just more strategic about it now.

 

[MtnBikerChk]

by Tom Venuto

A news media feeding frenzy erupted recently when a new diet study broke in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Almost all the reporters got it wrong, wrong WRONG! So did most of the gloating low carb forumites and bloggers. Come to think of it, almost everyone interpreted this study wrong. Some valuable insights came out of this study, but almost everyone missed them because they were too busy believing what the news said or defending their own cherished belief systems...

The new study, titled, "Weight Loss With a Low-Carbohydrate, Mediterranean, or Low-Fat Diet" was published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) in issue 359, number 3.I quickly read the full text of the research paper the day it was published. Then, I shook my head in dismay as I scanned the news headlines. I found it amusing that the media turned this into a three ring circus, putting a misleading "low carb versus high carb," "Atkins vindicated" or "Diet wars" spin on the story. But that's mainstream journalism for you, right? Gotta sell those papers!


Just look at some of these headlines:

"Study Tips Scales in Atkins Diets Favor: Low Carb Regimen Better Than Low Fat Diet For Weight And Cholesterol, Major Study Shows. " "Low-Carb and Low-Fat Diets Face Off "

"The Never-Ending Diet Wars"

"Low Carb Beats Low Fat in Diet Duel."

"Atkins Diet is Safe and Far More Effective Than a Low-Fat One, Study Says"

"Unrestricted Low-Carb Diet Wins Hands Down"

Some of these headlines are hilarious! I wonder if any of these reporters actually read the whole study. Geez. Is it too much trouble to read 13 pages before you write a story that will be read by millions of already confused people suffering the pain and frustration of obesity?

continue reading here...

I subscribe to Tom's Burn the Fat Newsletter and I love how he just cuts to the chase with no crap.

Awesome article!

 

[alexvega]

hi people how are you?

i just want to say something........
in my case i decide to decrease the carbs specially thewite rise.

i have loss so fat in the whole body, i don´t feel hungry at any moment

my muscle are so nice, well i think so!

i have to say i eat some little carbs like brown bread.potatos and vegetables like tomatos, lettuce.
my drinks are diet soda. and never use sugar.