New study reveals that four very popular diets — Atkins, Ornish, Weight Watchers and Zone Diet — are all very good diets if maintained on long term.

Diet Comparison Again?

Diets are not only meant to make us look better, but also help us feel better. A recent study proved four popular diets to have similar effects: they're good for losing weight, improving cholesterol levels and reducing heart disease risk. But too few people can stick to these plans, no matter the name and popularity.

The study was conducted by Dr. Michael Dansinger of Boston's Tufts-New England Medical Center and his colleagues. They have chosen to compare Weight Watchers, a diet based on reduced calorie intake through a point system; Atkins, which limits the carb intake; the Zone Diet , with a very restrictive nutritional balance of 40% carbs, 30% fat and 30% protein; and the low-fat vegetarian plan of Dr. Dean Ornish.

We randomly assigned 160 men and women with a heart disease risk factor — either high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or high blood sugar — to follow one of the study diets for a year, Dr. Dansinger said.

People were given printed material and two months training were they learned about their dietary plan. After two months they were free to decide how close they will stick to the program.

The Results

As expected, those who chose to follow their diet more closely had the best results.

The surprise was that such different approaches on dietary plans had such similar results.

The dieters had an average weight loss of 10 pounds over one year. But those who followed the program closely for the whole year lost an average of 20-25 pounds.

People who lost 10 pounds also reduced cardiovascular disease risk by 10 to 20 percent. Those who lost 25 pounds reduced the cardiovascular disease risk by 50%.

Atkins diet was the best at increasing good cholesterol, and Ornish was the best at reducing bad cholesterol. The Zone and the Weight Watchers plans had the best results in weight loss. However, these were minor differences.

Stick to Your Old Diet

The greatest problem of all was the drop-out rate. Only 25% of the people that started the program could stick to it for one year. At the end of two months 20% of the participants were already out.

Experience has shown many times in the past that it takes a few advertising messages and candid testimonials to convince someone to abandon the old diet and try something new. Dr. Dansinger's study proves that perseverance is important in the first place.

The results of Dr. Dansinger's study raises a new problem: how can one choose the diet that one can stick to? The answer is to consider needs, lifestyle, individual preferences and get serious about it. In the end it is a problem of adaptation. Learn to eat less, but healthier. The diets, no matter their popularity, need to be regarded more like a lifetime plan and less like a resuscitation procedure.

It might be like dating the diets. You have to kiss a few frogs before you find your prince, before you find your long-term, the one. Those were Dr. Dansinger's words to form a conclusion.

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