In 2008, nearly three-quarters of Americans were overweight, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. The incidence of diabetes, heart disease, osteoarthritis and other obesity-related health problems parallels the expansion of the nation's collective waistline, and health care experts are seeking ways to address these troublesome issues. Individuals who want to lose weight often turn to dieting as part of their strategy, but they often wonder which diet plans work better than others.
Commitment
Although dietary modifications are a major part of a successful weight-management program, you will not see results overnight, and you will have to persist in your efforts. Therefore, a sustainable diet plan is essential; liquid diets, single-food diets and other fads should be discarded out of hand, for they simply do not produce long-term results. Furthermore, you should commit to the idea that you will exercise on a daily basis. According to the National Weight Control Registry, 94 percent of people who lose weight and successfully keep it off report increasing their physical activity, and 90 percent exercise for at least one hour daily.
Research
A 2005 review in "The Journal of the American Medical Association" compared several popular diets to evaluate how effective they were for helping people lose weight and maintain the weight loss. For people who followed these diets for at least one year, the Atkins, Zone, Weight Watcher and Ornish diets conferred average weight losses of 4.6, 7.0, 6.6 and 7.3 lbs., respectively. The Zone and Weight Watchers programs demonstrated the lowest dropout rate, with 65 percent of participants remaining in the program for one year. Half of dieters involved in Ornish or Atkins plans dropped out.
Health Gains
Although obesity is an aesthetic issue for most overweight individuals, the health benefits of weight loss are at least as important as being able to fit into a smaller dress or suit size. Shedding even a few pounds can lower your risk for health problems. A 2007 "JAMA" trial comparing the Ornish, Zone, LEARN and Atkins diets showed that the Atkins diet not only conferred a significantly higher weight loss than the other diets -- an average of 10.3 lbs. at one year -- but evoked comparable or more favorable "metabolic parameters," such as blood pressure, lipid profile, body fat percentage and fasting insulin and glucose levels.
Considerations
Although the long-term health effects of some diet programs, such as low-carb plans, are not yet known, these programs do contribute to successful weight loss and maintenance. The dropout rates for some diets are clearly higher than others, probably because they are more draconian in their approach. Ornish and Esselstyn diets, for example, demand that you cut fat consumption to ultra-low levels. Assuming you have chosen a sustainable diet program, the key to successful weight loss rests more with your commitment to that program than your choice of a specific plan. Nearly any well-designed, nutritious meal plan will help you lose weight. If you need advice on how to develop a personal weight-management program, talk to your physician.
References
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Prevalence of Overweight, Obesity, and Extreme Obesity Among Adults: United States, Trends 1976--1980 Through 2007--2008
- The National Weight Control Registry: NWCR Facts
- "The Journal of the American Medical Association: Comparison of the Atkins, Ornish, Weight Watcher, and Zone Diets for Weight Loss and Heart Disease Reduction: A Randomized Trial; Dansinger ML, et al.; January 2005
- "The Journal of the American Medical Association"; Comparison of the Atkins, Zone, Ornish, and LEARN Diets for Change in Weight and Related Risk Factors Among Overweight Premenopausal Women; C.D. Gardner, et al.; March 2007
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