April 4, 2005:
New Study Supports South Beach Diet™ Principles

The results are in from a recent study comparing a diet following the principles of The South Beach Diet™ with a portion-controlled, low-fat diet. The study, which will be published in the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine, followed 69 overweight or obese (but otherwise healthy) men and women, ages 18 to 65, over a period of 12 weeks. This group was divided into two, with one group following a plan modeled after Phase 2 of The South Beach Diet™ and the other group following the low-fat diet. While both groups shed extra pounds over the 12 weeks, the amount and type of weight lost was remarkably different.

Participants who followed The South Beach Diet™ model lost twice as much weight as those following the portion-controlled, low-fat plan and also showed greater losses in body fat. The study also showed that the group adhering to The South Beach Diet™ principles — focusing on the right carbohydrates and fats, nutrient-dense whole foods, lean sources of protein, and lots of fiber — experienced significant reductions in triglycerides and their ratio of total/HDL cholesterol, meaning that they lowered their risk of a heart attack.

What was the most surprising revelation of all? While The South Beach Diet™ group was instructed to eat until they were satisfied, whereas the low-calorie group stuck to a strict calorie-counting system, the first group still consumed fewer calories with no counting involved. Clearly, choosing a plan with the right carbs and the right fats, such as The South Beach Diet™, is the right choice when it comes to weight loss and adopting a long-term healthy lifestyle.