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Health See other Health Articles Title: More CV Concerns Over Atkins Diet June 27, 2012 (Uppsala, Sweden) — More concerns about the effects of an Atkins-type diet on cardiovascular risk have been raised in a new study in young Swedish women [1]. The study comes on the heels of a separate study, also reported by heartwire , showing that both very low-carbohydrate and very low-fat diets may have adverse effects on the heart. This latest study, published online in BMJ on June 26, 2012, adds yet another layer to the debate over the relative safety of different diets. The authors, led by Prof Pagona Lagiou (University of Athens Medical School, Greece), conclude: "Low-carbohydrate/high-protein diets, used on a regular basis and without consideration of the nature of carbohydrates or the source of proteins, are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease." For the study, a random sample of 43 396 Swedish women aged 30 to 49 completed an extensive dietary questionnaire and were followed up for an average of 15.7 years. Results showed that three measures of reduced carbohydrate or increased protein intake were associated with significant increased rate of cardiovascular disease. Risk of Cardiovascular Disease With Reduced Carbohydrate/Increased Protein Diet Measure Rate ratio (95% CI) 1/10 decrease in carbohydrate intake 1.04 (1.00–1.08) 1/10 increase in protein intake 1.04 (1.02–1.06) 2-unit increase in the low-carbohydrate/high-protein score 1.05 (1.02–1.08) In absolute terms, the adjusted figures represent an additional four to five cases of cardiovascular disease per 10 000 women per year compared with those who did not regularly eat a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet, the authors note. They add that dietary factors associated with the 4% to 5% increase in cardiovascular risk could be equivalent to a daily decrease of 20 g of carbohydrates (equivalent to a small bread roll) and a daily increase of 5 g of protein (equivalent to one boiled egg). In an accompanying editorial [2], Dr Anna Floegel (German Institute of Human Nutrition) and Dr Tobias Pischon (Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin Germany) say that the discrepancy between short-term intervention trials and long-term survival studies needs to be resolved before low-carbohydrate/high-protein diets can safely be recommended to patients. "But in the meantime, the short-term benefits of low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets for weight loss that have made these diets appealing seem irrelevant in the face of increasing evidence of higher morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases in the long term," they conclude. Criticisms But commenting for heartwire , Dr Henry Black (Center for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, New York University) was adamant that no decisions be made on the basis of the current study. "The risks suggested were tiny, and there were so many weaknesses in this study it should never have been accepted for publication," he argued. His criticisms included the fact that diet was assessed only once at the start of the study--"who eats the same thing for 15 years?"--and there were many potential confounders that had not been accounted for. The study was supported by grants from the Swedish Cancer Society and the Swedish Research Council. Poster Comment: To lose weight seems safer just not eat so much, drink more water, exercise more. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
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