Lose weight permanently! Quality is not quantity – Dietetics – Articles |

Study published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition points out that the long-term change in the quality of proteins and carbohydrates has lasting effects on weight loss. Researchers at Tufts University in Massachusetts looked at 3 large cohort studies (Nurses ‘Health Study, Nurses’ Health Study II, Health Professionals Follow-Up Study) and their results. They included 120 men and women who were not obese and did not suffer from any chronic disease when entering the study. Researchers looked at changing eating habits in terms of protein types and the glycemic load (GL) of foods over 4 years and their effect on weight change over time. This has also been linked to other lifestyle changes (smoking, exercise, watching TV, amount of sleep).

Basic conclusions

The glycemic load takes into account the glycemic index (GI) and the carbohydrate content in a given serving. This is a slightly more accurate measure than the index itself (for information on the glycemic index, see ‘What is IG’). Its assumption indicates that eating a small portion of a high GI product causes the same insulin release as a large portion of a low GI product. Hence, the first link of the observations was obvious. People whose diets were rich in foods with a high glycemic load, refined grains, starch, and sugar had greater weight gain. It was also noted that:

• higher consumption of red and processed meats has been associated with weight gain,
• higher consumption of yogurt, lean cheese, skinless chicken, legumes, seafood, and nuts were associated with weight loss,
• greater consumption of other dairy products such as fatty cheese, full-fat milk or skim milk was not associated neither with a decrease nor with an increase in body weight.

One of the study authors Dr.Jessica Smith says:

The fat in dairy products does not appear to be important for weight gain. In fact, when people ate more low-fat dairy products, they consumed more carbohydrates, which in turn can contribute to weight gain. This suggests that over the years patients have compensated for lower caloric intake from lean dairy products by increasing carbohydrate intake.

Interestingly, a separate 2012 study of the consumption of dairy products and their effects on heart disease and body weight found an inverse relationship between the consumption of full-fat dairy products and the risk of obesity.

Food combinations

In addition to simple conclusions, scientists tested the relationship between the content and the ratio of protein-rich and GL-rich foods to each other. It was noted that:

• consumption of foods with a high glycemic load and higher consumption of proteins have been associated with weight gain, as is the consumption of red meats, but the introduction of low GL products, and an increase in meat consumption decreased the trend of weight gain,
• introduction of products with a low glycemic load enhanced the slimming effect yoghurt, nuts, seafood, poultry, but increasing the GL of food reduced the slimming effect of the above products,
• high consumption of eggs and full-fat dairy products had no long-term effect on body weight, but the combination of them with an increase in consumption of foods with a low glycemic load conducive to weight loss.

Research shows significant the relationship between changes in the consumption of protein products and the glycemic load. The decrease in GL was most often associated with weight loss over the years. One of the authors of the study, Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, points out:

Our research joins a growing body of publications indicating that calorie counting is not the best strategy for long-term weight control and prevention of weight gain.

It is worth remembering about this and trying to focus on nourishing your body with valuable nutritional products and a permanent change in eating habits, not on depleting your diet by mindlessly cutting off calories and clogging your stomach with ‘dietary products’.

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