Fad diets?

Like Dr. Atkins, Dr. Arthur Agatston was a cardiologist interested in helping his patients lose weight sustainably and without going hungry.

He liked certain aspects of the Atkins diet, but was concerned that unrestricted use of saturated fat might increase the risk of heart disease.

Therefore, in the mid-1990s he created a lower-carb, lower-fat, high-protein diet called the South Beach Diet, named for the area in South Florida where he practiced medicine.

Although Stage 1 of the diet is low in carbs and very low in fat, the diet becomes less restrictive in Phases 2 and 3, which allow limited quantities of all types of unprocessed foods while keeping protein intake high.

The diet encourages a high intake of protein, because protein has been shown to burn more calories during digestion than carbs or fat (9).

In addition, protein stimulates the release of hormones that suppress hunger and can help you feel full for hours (10, 11).

A large review of 24 studies found that high-protein, low-fat diets led to greater reductions in weight, fat and triglycerides and better retention of muscle mass than low-fat, standard-protein diets (12).

There are many anecdotal reports of weight loss on the South Beach Diet, as well as a published 12-week study looking at its effects.

In this study, pre-diabetic adults dropped an average of 11 pounds (5.2 kg) and lost an average of 2 inches (5.1 cm) off their waists.

Additionally, they experienced a reduction in fasting insulin levels and an increase in cholecystokinin (CCK), a hormone that promotes fullness (13).

Although the diet is nutritious overall, it requires an unwarranted drastic restriction of saturated fat and encourages the use of processed vegetable and seed oils, which may lead to all kinds of health problems.

You can learn more about the South Beach Diet by reading this article.