Public release date: 4-Mar-2009Contact: Phyllis Picklesimerp-pickle@uiuc.edu217-244-2827University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignIs one diet as good as another? U of I study says no and tells you whyAny diet will do? Not if you want to lose fat instead of muscle. Not if you want to lower your triglyceride levels so you'll be less likely to develop diabetes and heart disease. Not if you want to avoid cravings that tempt you to cheat on your diet. And not if you want to keep the weight off long-term."Our latest study shows you have a better chance of achieving all these goals if you follow a diet that is moderately high in protein," said Donald Layman, a University of Illinois professor emeritus of nutrition. The research was published in the March Journal of Nutrition.Layman's new study followed the weight-loss efforts of 130 persons at two sites, the U of I and Penn State University, during 4 months of active weight loss and 8 months of maintenance.Two previous studies had looked at short-term weight loss; this one was designed to look at long-term effects, he said.Although both plans were equal in calories, half the group followed a moderate-protein diet (40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, 30% fat) while the other followed a diet based on USDA's food-guide pyramid (55% carbohydrates, 15% protein, 30% fat)."Persons in the first group ate twice the amount of protein as the second group," said Layman.And the difference in protein made all the difference in improved body composition and body lipids, he said.Although the amount of weight lost in both groups was similar, at 4 months participants in the protein group had lost 22 percent more body fat than members of the food-pyramid group. At 12 months, the moderate-protein dieters had lost 38 percent more body fat."The additional protein helped dieters preserve muscle. That's important for long-term weight loss because muscle burns calories—if you lose muscle, and you used to be able to consume 2,000 calories without gaining weight, you'll find that now you can only eat, say, 1,800 calories without weight gain," he said.What were the effects on lipids? Although at 4 months the food-guide pyramid appeared to be more effective in lowering LDL and total cholesterol levels, at 12 months LDL levels came back up until both diets were equally effective, Layman said."This is the first study to show that short-term changes in LDL cholesterol are not maintained with long-term weight loss. Most scientists believe that high cholesterol is more a factor of genetics than of diet," he said.But the moderate-protein diet had by far the bigger effect on lowering triglycerides, and that lasted as long as individuals remained on the diet, he said."Of the two types of lipid problems, high triglycerides pose a greater risk for heart disease. Approximately twice as many people have high triglycerides, and people with this condition are approximately four times more likely to die from heart disease," the scientist said.To ensure compliance, participants met every week for weigh-ins and nutrition instruction. "We taught participants how to follow their diet, how to grocery shop, and how to prepare the meals. They also measured everything they ate three days a week," he said."Studies that report there is no difference among diets also report that subjects were not carefully following the diets," said Layman. "It's very important to realize the difference between diet compliance and diet effectiveness."The protein diet was easier to follow and maintain long-term, with 64 percent of the moderate-protein dieters completing the study compared to 45 percent of dieters using the high-carbohydrate diet, Layman said."Subjects on the moderate-protein diet reported that they weren't as interested in snacks or desserts, and they didn't have food cravings. When you eat protein, you feel full longer," he said.Average weight loss for the protein group was 23 percent higher than the food-pyramid group, with 31 percent of "completers" in the protein group losing more of than 10 percent of their initial body weight versus 21 percent of the food-pyramid group.###Co-authors of the study are Ellen Evans of the U of I Department of Kinesiology and Public Health; Donna Erickson, Jennifer Seyler, and Judy Weber of the U of I Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition; and Deborah Bagshaw, Amy Griel, Tricia Psota, and Penny Kris-Etherton of The Pennsylvania State University Department of Nutritional Sciences.It was funded by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, The Beef Checkoff, and Kraft Foods.http://www.TheMenuCoachChronicles.com

March is National Nutrition Month (designated by the American Dietetic Association), and in

Eating well on a budget can be as simple as knowing which healthy foods are the most cost effective.

March 4, 2009 (EurekAlert) - Any diet will do? Not if you want to lose fat instead of muscle. Not if you want to lower your triglyceride levels so you'll be less likely to develop diabetes and heart disease. Not...

A diabetic patient wants to know how she can increase her fiber intake while also trying to decrease her daily amount of carbohydrates.

Last week I said that I was wrapping up the series on essential fatty acids.  However, I

Registered Dietitians Can Do Much to Help Educate Americans and Eliminate Health Disparities in U.S., Says Former Surgeon GeneralThink 30 minutes of exercise cuts it? Try 50Updated guidelines recommend more daily activity to battle weight gainDietary Aid Helps Kidney Patients Stay SafeToo much phosphorus in food can cause harm, but new tool helps spot the dangerToo much vitamin E during pregnancy may harm babyThree Million people are at risk of malnutrition in UK – BDAInflammation In Colon May Get Doused Before Fueling Cancer DevelopmentA Spoonful of Sweetener -- Without the CaloriesNanoparticles In Dietary Supplements Cause Health Concerns, Regulatory ChallengesMaryland eyes artificial food color banEfficacy of Fish Oil in Lupus PatientsRegistered Dietitians in the NewsEating his way to a six-pack with 16 eggs a day(Jim White, ADA Spokesperson quoted)Protein pulls ahead on the post-workout menu(Nancy Clark, RD quoted)I love you ... Let's clean out the fridge!(Mary Lee Chin, RD quoted)HEALTHY EATING: How to feel your food(By Joan Endyke, RD)Eat your vegetables(Robyn Wilson, RD quoted)Caswell welcomes new program for children(Greg Wheatley, RD quoted)Avera Medical Minute: Vegetarianism(Megan Woodraska, RD quoted)Grocery tags aim to build shoppers 'nutrition IQ'(Heidi Diller, RD & Stacy Beeson, RD quoted)LETTER: Boost your heart health on Valentine’s Day(By Susan Levin, RD)The rules of golf ... and golf food(By Barbara Quinn, RD)http://www.TheMenuCoachChronicles.com

February 13, 2009 (Newswise) - Eating just one serving of green leafy vegetables or three servings of fruit a day reduces the risk of developing Type II diabetes, say researchers at Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and...

February 12, 2009 (EurekAlert) - Obese people who drink fructose-sweetened beverages with their meals have an increased rise of triglycerides following the meal, according to new research from the Monell Center....

On The Diabetes Self-Management Blog, we've featured multiple posts about how eating a

February 4, 2009 (EurekAlert) - A large body of science supports the beneficial role eggs play in a healthful diet. Eggs provide high-quality protein for growth, muscle strength and energy and promote weight management. Key nutrients found in eggs have...

This one was so good I had to blog it. All this food.....$68.84 retail price before sales and couponsTotal out of pocket after sales and coupons $28.04!!!!!!!! How did I do it? I mostly shopped the buy one get one free things, and stacked manufacturer's coupons on top of these sales. Publix is great because they will accept one coupon for the one you pay for AND for the one that is free! That adds up to some killer savings. If you shop at Publix I really recommend checking out the weekly coupon match up posts on Sarah's Blog, FiddleDeeDee and on Southern Savers Many of the coupons are printable so you don't even have to save the coupon inserts from the Sunday papers for most savings. (But you save even more if you do!) These ladies make it their full time job to help us save BIG BUCKS on our weekly shopping trips!! I'm going back for a few more things that I didn't have coupons for with me later this week, but wanted to be stocked on essentials because Gabe isn't feeling well and worse case scenario I don't want to be stuck with no toilet paper if I can't leave the house! HA! NOTE: The toilet paper was actually on sale at Walgreens and was about $5.

January 26, 2009 (EurekAlert) - Omega-6 fatty acids – found in vegetable oils, nuts and seeds – are a beneficial part of a heart-healthy eating plan, according to a science advisory published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association....

If you have been following me on Twitter, you saw me mention that I had exciting news coming up. Well, here it is! I am joining the group of Featured Bloggers over at Diabetes Daily. When I started blogging in June of 2006, I thought it was just to keep in touch with family and friends that [...]

Following a low glycemic index diet helps people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes to improve their blood glucose (blood sugar) control significantly, according to a new review.