Risks of the protein and fat diet

Low-carbohydrate diets, such as the Atkins diet, help people lose weight. However, those who simply replace carbohydrates (bread, pasta, and fruits) with calories from protein and animal fat may face an increased risk of premature development of heart disease and cancer, according to a new study.

The research found that the mortality rate among people who most seriously adhered to the protein regimen was 12% higher over approximately two decades than among those who consumed high-carbohydrate diets.

But mortality rates varied depending on the sources of protein and fat used to replace carbohydrates. People who derived more protein and fat from plant sources, such as beans and nuts, had a 20% lower chance of dying over the period than people on a high-carbohydrate diet.

But those who obtained most of their protein and fat from animal sources, such as red and processed meats, were 14% more likely to die from heart disease and 28% more likely to die from cancer, according to the analysis.

The study, published earlier this month in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, analyzed data from over 85,000 healthy women, aged 34 to 59, who participated in the Nurses' Health Study, and nearly 45,000 men aged 40 to 75 who participated in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. Participants responded to questionnaires every four years.

"If people want to follow a low-carbohydrate diet, this can provide some guidance," said the lead author of the article, Teresa T. Fung, an associate professor of nutrition at Simmons College in Boston. "They should probably eat less meat."

The conclusion is: THERE IS NO IDEAL DIET. THE CORRECT APPROACH IS TO EAT APPROPRIATELY FOR YOUR ENERGY EXPENDITURE RHYTHM AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, TO PERIODIZE YOUR DIET ACCORDING TO YOUR TRAINING. THIS WAY, YOU WILL IMPROVE BODY COMPOSITION, GAINING LEAN MASS AND ELIMINATING FAT.

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