Download Evaluating Popular Diets: Fact From Fiction

Sorting Through
The World of Diets:
Real Nutrition for Real Health
Lynn Goldstein, MS, RD, CDN
The Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health
Diet Statistics
 66.3% of adults over age 20 are overweight or
obese
 17% of adolescents age 12-19 are overweight
 19% of children age 6-11 are overweight
 25% of American men and 45% of American
women are on a diet on any given day
 95% of all dieters will regain their lost weight in
1-5 years
 American spend over $40 billion on dieting and
diet-related products each year
.
Health Risks
Associated with Obesity
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Heart disease/stroke
High blood pressure
Diabetes
Cancer (uterine, gallbladder, ovarian, cervical,
breast, colon, prostate, kidney, esophagus,
stomach, liver and pancreas)
 Gallbladder disease/gallstones
 Osteoarthritis
 Gout
 Breathing problems
 GERD
Other Nutritional
Risk Factors for Cancer
 High intakes of animal fat may increase the risk of
breast, colon, prostate, and pancreas cancers
 Increased risk for colon cancer with inactivity,
diets low in fruits and vegetables, and high in red
meat
 High intakes of alcohol may increase cancer risk
for mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver and
breast
 Diets high in sodium may increase risk for
stomach cancer
 Smoking can increase your risk for lung and
pancreatic cancer
Overview
 Atkins
 The Zone
 South Beach
 The Ornish Diet
 Weight Watchers
 USDA Food Guide Pyramid
 Lynn’s Opinion on the best way to eat
The Zone: Dr. Barry Sears
 Goal is to combat insulin resistance and alter
eicosanoid levels – hormonal messengers
 Eicosanoids are produced by the body and
influence blood clotting, blood pressure,
immunity, and inflammation
 Balance insulin:glucagon ratio. These are
hormones produced by the pancreas that act in
opposing ways to regulate blood sugar levels.
 According to Sears when theses are in balance the
body is better able to burn stored calories and
prevent unwanted fat deposition
The Zone Diet
 Balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats to
keep you in “The Zone”
 The Zone means keeping ones blood insulin at a
low and consistent level and this will suppress
appetite and promote fat burning
 40% carb, 30% protein, 30% fat, calories are
restricted
 The protein to carbohydrate ratio of the diet: 0.75
or 3gm of protein for every 4gm of carb
 Control eicosanoids: hormones in the body that
control inflammation, immune system, and
cellular activity. Affected by dietary fat
The Zone Plate
 Divide your plate into thirds
 1/3 is low fat protein
 2/3 are fruits and vegetables
 Finally add in a healthy monounsaturated fat
 Each meal and snack should contain this balance
 The Zone Pyramid: base is vegetables followed by
fruits, low fat proteins, monounsaturated fats and
at the top is grains and starches
The Zone Diet: Pros and Cons
 No long term studies to support the theory that the
40-30-30 ratio is necessary or more beneficial
 The Zone Diet is ultimately a calorie/portion
controlled diet, can be a very low calorie diet
 Can be confusing and complicated to follow
 Does emphasize fruits, vegetables, and high fiber
foods
 Eliminates grains from the diet
 Does encourage exercise
 Does encourage multivitamins omega 3 fatty acid
supplements
 Does encourage healthy fats and proteins
Atkins Diet: Dr. Robert Atkins
 High protein, very high fat and very low
carbohydrate, unrestricted calories
 Maintain low insulin levels, which leads to
suppressed appetite, lower food consumption, and
weight loss
 Low insulin levels promote increased burning of
fat for fuel and decrease fat storage
 Leads to ketosis, burning of fat for fuel
 Promotes meat, cheese, eggs, poultry, fats and
limits fruit, vegetables and grains
Atkins Diet
 High saturated fat foods are not discouraged
 Low fruit and vegetable intake leading to a lack of
key vitamins, minerals, and fiber
 Protein/fat take longer to digest and to suppress
hunger leading to lower calorie intake and
therefore weight loss
 Does recommend vitamins/mineral supplements
 Does not address importance of regular exercise
The Dangers of the Atkins Diet
 Harvard study indicates that regular meat
consumption increased colon cancer risk by as
much as 300%
 Harvard study indicates that women with the
highest intakes of animal fat had over a 75%
greater risk for developing breast cancer
 American Kidney Fund warns that high protein
diets can lead to irreversible kidney damage
 This type of diet can also increase your risk for
constipation, diverticulosis, and colon cancer
 Diets with high amounts of animal protein cause
calcium loss from bone leading to osteoporosis
and bone fractures
The South Beach Diet:
Dr. Arthur Agatston
 Not all carbohydrates are created equal
 Emphasizes the right carbs and fats with emphasis
on promoting good health not just weight loss
 Main culprits in our diet are highly processed
carbohydrates found in baked goods, breads,
snacks, soft drinks etc., which have been stripped
of their fiber and nutrients
 Decrease consumption of simple carbs, insulin
resistance improves, weight decreases, metabolize
carbohydrates properly
 Cutting simple carbs also decreases triglyceride
and cholesterol levels
South Beach
 Suggests avoiding low fat products because the fat
is replaced with carbohydrate
 Recommends healthy monounsaturated fatty acids
such as olive oil
 Promotes fruits, vegetables and grains in the final
stage
 3 phases to the diet
– Phase I – total elimination of fruit, bread, rice, potatoes,
pasta, sugar, alcohol, and baked goods
– Phase II – after 2 weeks you can begin adding back
some restricted foods but in moderation
– Phase III – less restrictive once the weight has been lost
South Beach: Pros and Cons
 Studies have shown and improvement in
cholesterol levels and ratios as well as weight loss
 Promotes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean
proteins and does not eliminate any food group
 Teaches portion control, promotes whole
unprocessed foods, and emphasizes differences
amongst healthy and unhealthy proteins, fats, and
carbohydrates
 Promotes regular exercise
Why Do Low-Carb Diets Work?
 Water loss = weight loss
 Decreased appetite: fat metabolism creates
ketones which can decrease appetite
 Increased feeling of fullness: Fat and
Protein take longer to digest
 Reduced calories: low carb diets reduce
your overall calorie intake because they
strictly limit the variety of foods you can
eat.
Weight Watchers: Jean Nidetch
 Does not tell people what they can or can’t eat
 Educate people about food and encourage exercise
 Local support groups to help keep people
motivated
 Members keep track of the calories they eat in a
form of points
 The points allotted are assigned based on your
current weight and weight goal
 Foods are assigned point values, stay within your
point range and you loose weight
Weight Watchers
 Ultimately a calorie restricted diet
 Promotes developing healthy eating habits
 Not meant to count points for the rest of
your life
 Cost to the plan includes a sign up fee,
$15/meeting, cost of packaged foods
(optional), online service fees
The Ornish Diet:
Dr. Dean Ornish
 Author of The Reversal Diet, The Prevention Diet,
and Eat More, Weigh less
 Diet plan to reverse/prevent heart disease
 Low fat diet/vegetarian diet
 10% of calories come from fat, excludes all
animal products (except for eggs and low fat
dairy), nuts, seeds, avocado, chocolate, olives, and
coconuts
 Oils are eliminated except a small amount of
canola oil for cooking and oil that supplies omega
3 fatty acids
The Ornish Diet
 Prohibits caffeine but allows moderate
intake of alcohol, sugar, and salt
 Promotes fruit, vegetables, whole grains,
and high fiber foods
 Diet alone is not sufficient to reverse heart
disease and needs to be combined with
exercise, yoga, meditation, stress reduction,
and lifestyle changes
The Ornish Diet: Pros and Cons
 AHA recommends a diet with 30% fat and the
average American consumes a diet with 50% fat
 Eliminates healthy fats as well as unhealthy fats
 Studies show vegetarians have lower rates of
disease
 Studies show this approach does work to lower
cholesterol, improve ratios and promote weight
loss
The Ornish Diet: Pros and Cons
 Very restrictive and difficult to maintain
 Too low in fat and does not provide enough
essential fatty acids
 Does promote taking vitamin supplements,
fish oil supplements
 Promotes exercise, stress relief and lifestyle
changes
 Low fat products tend to be high in sugar
and calories
USDA Food Guide Pyramid
www.mypyramid.gov
Old Food Pyramid
What Are Whole Foods?
 Eat foods that are closest to their natural
form
 Limit processed foods
 Avoid sugar substitutes
 Learn to read package labels; Don’t
consume foods if you don’t know what the
ingredients are
Whole Foods
Whole Foods
Exception to the Rule
Professional Dietary
Recommendations
 The number one recommendation of the AICR is a
plant based diet
 The number one recommendation of the World
Cancer Research Fund is a plant based diet
 The number one recommendation of the NCI and
the WHO is eat more fruits and vegetables
 The number one recommendation of the ACS is
eat more plant based foods and less meat
Which Plan Is Right?
 Include a variety of foods including vegetables,
fruits, grains, lean protein sources including
animal protein, soy, legumes, etc.
 Include foods you like to eat
 Include foods that are accessible to you
 Fit your lifestyle and budget
 Include the correct nutrients and calories to help
you loose weight safely
 Should encourage regular physical activity
 Plan should not make unrealistic promises like
loosing 30 lbs in 30 days
Questions?
Please Consult Your Doctor
 Before beginning any new nutritional or
weight loss program, please consult your
doctor
 For people with certain health conditions,
some foods discussed in this seminar may
not be appropriate.