A recent study found that people who followed a low-carb diet lost more weight than people who ate a low-fat diet.
What's more, they enjoyed lower cholesterol levels to boot. So, was Dr. Atkins right? Should people ditch their fruit for a filet mignon?
"Not so fast," says Pam Ofstein, director of Nutrition Services for eDiets.
"Low carbohydrates shouldn't mean no carbohydrates," she said. "While a low carbohydrate plan can help with weight loss, a lot depends on the types of carbohydrates and the quality of other foods included."
The study, conducted by researchers from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, found that both low-carb and Mediterranean diets were as effective as low-fat diets. Appearing in the New England Journal of Medicine, the two-year Israeli study is one of the largest and longest of its kind to compare the effectiveness and safety of common weight-loss approaches.
The study followed 322 moderately obese subjects. Participants ate a low-fat, Mediterranean or low-carbohydrate diet. Those following a low-carb approach recorded the greatest weight loss -- averaging 10.3 pounds. Those assigned to the Mediterranean plan came in a close second losing an average of 10 pounds. The low-fat group dropped the least amount with 6.6 pounds. Encouragingly, almost 85 percent of participants actually stuck to their diets.
In addition, the low-carb approach seemed to have the best overall impact on cholesterol, while the Mediterranean approach seemed to be the most effective for controlling blood sugar.
While the results were eye-opening, there are some things to keep in mind, Ofstein said. Carbohydrate foods such as whole grains and fruits are fiber-rich and have a low glycemic impact. Including them daily can help you lose or maintain weight as opposed to eating refined carbohydrates and foods that contain low nutrient density. And of course, exercise is important to any healthy lifestyle.
"As we know with a majority of weight-loss plans, if you follow them and include activity, you can lose weight," she said. "Weight-loss plans can be individual, and what works for one person may not be the best fit for another."
Choosing an approach that works means finding a food strategy that satisfies you and that you can stick to in the long term -- which is the first step toward a lifestyle change that will help you lose weight and live healthier. A trained and accredited nutrition professional can help you match your own preferences with the right diet.