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Best Diet to Maintain Weight Loss

There has been a great deal of controversy about the best diet for weight loss and maintenance. Experts have been debating the pros and cons of high or low protein as well as high or low carbohydrate consumption. A large European study addressed this very issue. Investigators enrolled 1200 adults who had lost weight on a very low-calorie diet. They were randomly assigned to one of five diets for six months to see which one was best for maintaining weight loss.
Fewer subjects on high-protein or low-glycemic index diets dropped out of the study. These people also did better at keeping their weight off: about 2 pounds better, on average. The researchers conclude that a modest increase in protein content and a modest reduction in the glycemic index was modestly beneficial. High glycemic index foods make blood sugar and insulin rise rapidly after eating. They include starches like potatoes, rice and bread or sugars found in juice and soft drinks.

[New England Journal of Medicine, Nov. 25, 2010]

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About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
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