Atkins diet disappoints in long-term weight loss

If you’re one of the many college students trying to shed
a few pounds, you might be thinking about going on a diet.

Maybe you’re fighting the freshman 15 or you just want to
turn a few heads at Venice Beach. Whatever your reason,
you’ve probably heard of the Atkins diet ““ the
low-carbohydrate, high-protein and high-fat diet created by
cardiologist Robert Atkins 30 years ago.

The regimen instructs dieters to throw the low-fat adages out
with all their breads and pastas, and encourages people to eat as
much bacon and eggs as they wish.

During the first two weeks dieters eat no more than 20g of carbs
““ equivalent to a single slice of bread or a serving of corn.
Later, the carb level is increased slightly until weight loss
stops. There are no limits on protein or fat.

Surprisingly, recent studies show that the Atkins diet works
““ at least for a while. Although participants eat high-fat
meals, they actually lose weight more quickly on the Atkins diet
than on a low-fat diet.

But is it really possible to eat fatty foods and be thinner?

In April, the Journal of the American Medical Association looked
at all the studies available and found people lost weight on the
diet because they ate fewer calories altogether even though more of
their calories came from fat. Protein is more filling than
carbohydrates, which probably helps people on the Atkins diet feel
less hungry.

But before you rush out for 4×4 cheeseburgers at In-N-Out, you
should know there are some definite drawbacks. Eating less fruit
and whole grains means missing out on cancer-fighting benefits of
anti-oxidants and fiber.

Eating lots of protein can decrease the amount of calcium in
your bones, increasing your risk for osteoporosis later in life.
Calcium loss is even more of a concern while you’re in
college because you gain most of your bone mass before you reach
30. Increased levels of fat and protein are also linked to kidney
stones and kidney problems. Other minor problems include
constipation and bad breath.

Physicians are most concerned about the high amount of saturated
fat in the diet. Saturated fat, which is especially high in red
meat and dairy products, contributes to heart attacks and other
heart diseases. However, a study in the May New England Journal of
Medicine shows the effects of the diet on the heart may not be so
bad.

Even though more of their calories come from fat, Atkins dieters
eat slightly less fat overall than they do regularly, and
cholesterol levels actually improved more in individuals on the
Atkins diet than in those on a traditional low-fat regimen.

If you want to try a low-carb diet, a healthier version may
involve getting most of protein from chicken, fish, and nuts, which
contain less saturated fat. Keep in mind, though, that the
Atkins diet, like all diets, is not great at helping you lose
weight or stay healthy in the long-term.

After one year, the New England Journal study found the average
amount of weight loss on the Atkins diet was small, only about 4.5
percent after a year. By then, four out of 10 of those on the
Atkins diet had dropped it, and those still on the low-carb diet
actually gained back about half the weight they lost.

Diets are short-term and, unfortunately, so is the weight loss
associated with them. The best way to really make a long-term
impact on your health is to incorporate small changes in diet along
with an exercise plan that you’re comfortable with.

Check out the Student Nutrition Action Committee
(www.studenthealth.ucla.edu/snac) at the Ashe Center for
nutritional tips and body image and fitness workshops.

Holly Deng is a first-year medical student at the UCLA David
Geffen School of Medicine and a writer for The Diagnosis, an
organization comprised of UCLA medical students. The Diagnosis is
coordinated by Daniel Zaghi, a second-year medical student. Send
questions to [email protected].