Dr. Kirsten McAuley is a researcher at Otago University's Edgar National Center for Diabetes in New Zeeland. Her recently published study compares the efficiency of

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The subjects in the study were 96 overweight women (average age 45) that suffered of insulin resistance, a pre-diabetic condition where the body can't use its own insulin to absorb blood sugar, causing high glycemia.

The women were divided into three groups and were indicated what they could eat and drink.

Both Atkins and Zone diets reduce carbohydrates intake (Atkins drastically, Zone moderately), and try to set on low-glycemic foods like non-starchy vegetables and whole grains.

Atkins diet tends to replace the calories from carbohydrates with calories from fats and proteins. Diet supplements were recommended to the women on Atkins diet. The dieters experienced side effects such as constipation, because of the low fiber intake.

In six months, both Atkins and Zone diets proved the same efficiency in weight loss. Women on both groups had lost an average of 8 kg. The subjects on the conventional diet had lost in the same period only an average of 5 kg.

After one year, the results looked like this:

The study also measured the levels for LDL cholesterol throughout the program. None of the three groups had significant fluctuations of LDL level. This is surprising, as women on Atkins diet were expected to show increased LDL, while the Zoners to decrease LDL level.

LDL is also known as “bad” cholesterol, and a factor to determine heart attack risk. It is analyzed both separately and comparing to HDL level — that is “good” cholesterol.

Dr. McAuley warned diabetic people with kidney problems should not be on Zone diet. She also suggested that even with these study results, there is no best bet or wonder diet that's going to solve obesity. The Atkins diet vs Zone diet argue hasn't yet got to an end.

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