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Dr. Orrange received her BA in Biology at the University of California, San Diego, and a Masters Degree in Health Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health. She received her MD from the USC Keck School of…
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Low-Fat Diet a Bust for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Posted in Healthy Eating by Dr. Sharon Orrange on Sep 27, 2012
A recent finding of the Women’s Health Initiative was not good for low-fat diets, and may give more fuel to the idea that low-carb is more important than low-fat.
According to the study, a low fat diet intervention did little to lower the risk of heart disease, stroke or colon cancer in women in this long-term study. Interestingly a low-fat diet does have some effect in reducing heart disease and stroke risk in men, but not in women.
The Women’s Health Initiative took almost 50,000 women and placed them on either a low-fat diet intervention or a control group (no diet). After 8 years, the diet intervention and control groups didn’t show any significant differences in rates of coronary heart disease.
Similarly, the rate of stroke and colon cancer in the intervention and control arms were virtually identical the entire time, with no hint of either early or late benefit for the low-fat diet.
So what were some details of this low-fat diet?
Thoughts?
Dr. O.
According to the study, a low fat diet intervention did little to lower the risk of heart disease, stroke or colon cancer in women in this long-term study. Interestingly a low-fat diet does have some effect in reducing heart disease and stroke risk in men, but not in women.
The Women’s Health Initiative took almost 50,000 women and placed them on either a low-fat diet intervention or a control group (no diet). After 8 years, the diet intervention and control groups didn’t show any significant differences in rates of coronary heart disease.
Similarly, the rate of stroke and colon cancer in the intervention and control arms were virtually identical the entire time, with no hint of either early or late benefit for the low-fat diet.
So what were some details of this low-fat diet?
- The people were placed on a reduced fat diet by boosting consumption of fruits and vegetables.Again, no difference.
- The low-fat group had at least six servings of grains daily.
- The low-fat group averaged 5 servings per day of fruits and vegetables at year six.
Thoughts?
Dr. O.
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How do the results compare between a low-carb diet and a low-fat diet? I'm going shopping today and was wondering what I can do to help my weight loss. So far, I just try to make healthier choices (oatmeal for breakfast, fruits and veggies for other meals
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My specialists/professor/specialist told me "you are lying to me" when I was quite proud of managing 20% over 3 months. Nice.
I have managed my own health care since then (well over 20 years) and am doing fairly well although I'm labelled non-compliant because I won't take the dozen drugs various doctors think I should be on (that make me violently sick).
Thanks for taking away some of the guilt.