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Pick a Diet, Any Diet, But Adhere
...and don't forget your calcium
- by Ed Main and the Adora Calcium team
It's About the Weight Loss, Not Choice of Diets
Four popular diets---Atkins, Zone, Weight Watchers and Ornish---were recently assessed for weight loss and improvements in risk factors associated with cardiac disease. For each diet group, approximately 25% of the participants achieved a weight loss of more than 5% percent of their initial weight over one year. In fact, 10% achieved a loss of more than 10% of the initial weight.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Jan 2005), concluded that "Each popular diet modestly reduced body weight and several cardiac risk factors at 1 year. While many people failed to adhere to the specific guidelines of each diet, increased adherence was associated with greater weight loss and cardiac risk factor reductions for each diet group."
Recently, Doctor Deborah Grady, Director of the Women's Health Clinical Research Center at the University of California, San Francisco, reviewed this study during the American College of Physicians Conference. She indicated that "This trial suggests that each of the popular weight loss diets is equally effective at producing weight loss and improving cardiac risk factors. Adherence to the dietary restrictions was most important in producing weight loss, and weight loss was most important in improving cardiac risk factors."
Because of this, Dr. Grady noted that diets can be tailored to the eating habits and desires of individuals. Atkins or Zone should be recommended to those who love meat and cheese, and Weight Watchers or Ornish should be recommended to those who crave vegetables and grains. Dr. Grady also advises that changing the diet periodically might be helpful. If a patient is bored with a particular diet and is beginning to become non-adherent, changing to another diet might improve weight loss and reduce the heart problems associated with weight.
Calcium Supplements, Bone Health & Weight Loss
In a recent on-line survey of subscribers to natural woman | health and bone, 66% indicated that they failed to consume enough calcium per day. Interestingly, 28% of the women who responded (across all age groups) indicated that dieting was the most significant barrier to obtaining calcium. Furthermore, 20% responded that they "did not like dairy" and another 14% responded that they "could not eat dairy". Dairy is often touted as the best source of dietary calcium and vitamin D.
Calcium supplements, such as Adora, offer women the opportunity to meet their calcium and vitamin D requirements with few calories and integrate it into their diets. For instance, under Weight Watchers guidelines, Adora equates to one point. Supplementation proves to be an effective way to receive the necessary calcium when dieting, especially when cutting back on dairy.
Know Your Calcium Requirements
Within the survey, the majority of women in the 20-50 age range correctly indicated that they should be taking at least 1000 mg of calcium each day. However, both women over 50 and those under 20 overwhelming failed to identify their required daily calcium intakes. According to the Federal government, women over 50 should take 1200 mg per day and women between 9-19 should take 1300 mg per day. Nearly 90% of all respondents correctly indicated that vitamin D is as important as calcium for bone health.
In conclusion, stick to your diet (you can do it!) and don't let dieting inhibit your body's needed calcium and vitamin D intake. Use supplements as needed to maintain strong healthy bones.
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Published by natural woman | health and bone)
Copyright © 2006 Thompson Brands. All rights reserved.
circle of health does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. circle of health compiles information from a variety of public sources to provide individuals with the tools to actively and naturally promote bone health and other related women's health issues. We encourage the broad use of the web to provide additional information. Consult your physician or other health professional in regard to specific medical conditions. |
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