Low-carb diet? You'll do better to make lifestyle changes

By Emily Buckley

November 18, 2004 | On the magazine rack in just about any grocery store people can read headlines like, "Lose weight before lunch," or "Our 16 smartest diet secrets." It is no secret that Americans have gone weight-loss crazy with the latest craze: Low-carb diets.

In the 1980s the fad was "low-fat, no fat," then came the pasta revolution and now low-carbs. The nationwide concentration on this trend has prevailed all around Americans; nearly thirty million Americans are on some kind of a low-carb diet, according to NPD Group. "Atkins approved" choices are available for many grocery items and can even be found on the menu at most fast food joints.

"The problem with low-carb diets, and most other fad diets, is the promise of quick weight loss," said Aimee Moore, a senior dietetics student at Utah State University who works as a practicum student in the USU Wellness Center. "People on these diets are not losing the right kind of weight. During the initial phase of low-carb diets people lose water weight, then they go into ketosis -- which is when they lose lean body mass."

According to The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) a fad diet is a weight loss plan or aid that promises dramatic results, they don't offer long-term success and usually aren't very healthy.

The AAFP Web site includes an article for people considering fad diets. The article states, "People are often willing to try anything that promises to help them lose weight because they want to look or feel better, or because they are worried about getting weight-related diseases...Many people prefer the quick fix of a fad diet instead of making the effort to lose weight through long-term changes in their eating and exercise habits."

"Exercise plays a big part in weight control," Moore said. "People can lose as much weight as they want on a fad diet, but if they don't exercise it won't stay off."

Food and Health Communications looked critically at the dangers of fad diets in an article titled, Fad Diet Review. The article explains how the Atkins, South Beach and Zone Diets (all low carb diets) work, and what dieters should be cautious about when selecting any of these diet plans.

Like most fads, teenagers and college students have also become consumed by low carb diets. Students whose diets used to consist of pizza and burgers are turning to diets of hamburgers without buns, and panani sandwiches without the panani bread.

Jodie Auger, a student at USU, says she is on the Atkins diet, a low-carb high protein diet popularized by the late Robert Atkins, for the third time, and for her the diet has worked like a charm.

"The first time I was on the diet I lost 15 pounds in two weeks," Auger said. "But it all came back as soon as I quit."

That is just the problem, according to Moore.

"People should not go on a diet, rather they should change their diet -- change lifestyle behaviors," Moore said. "When people consider a diet they should determine if it is something they could stick to for life, and if it is something they should stick to for life."

According to the AAFP fad diets appear to work at first, but likely the weight lost at the beginning of any fad diet is water weight and lean muscle, not body fat. Then, most people are not able to keep up with the demands of the diet and usually end up gaining back any weight they lost.

Besides the idea that many dieters won't even stick to the diet, there is the question about the risks they would be taking if they did. Critics believe low-carb diets are causing health problems for dieters, and could cause more serious health problems in the future.

Although the diet was effective for Auger's weight loss, she doesn't feel it is healthy at all. "When I'm on the diet I don't have any energy," she said.

"You need carbs to fuel your brain," Moore said.

Auger only decided to get back on the diet because of a bet with a friend to see who could lose the most weight the quickest.

"It is the fastest way I know to lose weight," Auger said.

Even if Auger wins the bet, is the trade-off worth it?

Ann Romero, a registered dietitian at Logan Regional Hospital, said, "There is nothing showing the long-term safety of these diets. In fact questions have been raised as to whether the reduction of fruits and vegetables can be linked to colon cancer, if the increase of saturated fat will put dieters at higher risk for heart disease and if the diets will have long-term effects on dieters' kidneys because they often become dehydrated while on these diets.

"The diets lack good dietary quality," Romero said. "And a multi-vitamin can't replace that."

"It would be especially dangerous for women who have any chance of becoming pregnant to go on a low-carb diet," Moore said. "It could very likely cause brain damage in the women's unborn child."

According to Romero, diets like Atkins cut dieters' carbs down to about 5 percent of their total food intake, but according to the basic food guide pyramid approved by the USDA, carbohydrates should account for approximately 60 percent of an average person's diet.

Without a doubt low carb diets, at least initially, help people to lose weight. The question is if it is healthy. While doctors and dietitians are skeptical, there still isn't any hard-core evidence to support their suspicions.

"There is no easy answer," Romero said. "You can't just say yes or no. The truth is people lose weight when they consume less calories than their body needs, regardless of what kind of you food they cut down on."

So what is the safe way to lose weight?

"A good place to start is to see a registered dietitian," according to WebMD Health. Weight loss is confusing: if it was easy, nearly three-quarters of our population would not be overweight. Getting advice from an expert is the way to go, people don't seem to be having success on their own."

And the experts are happy to help. Students who would like to discuss their weight loss program with a dietitian can contact the Student Wellness Center at 797-1010.

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