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New findings from a long term study
suggest that a low fat diet may not show immediate benefits on
cardiovascular disease (CVC) risk factors. The results come from the US
Women's Health Initiative Study which includes 48,835 post menopause
women aged 50 to 79 years.
Low Fat Diet Plan Program
In the study, 40% of the women were given
an intensive behavioral modification program encouraging a low fat diet
plan which is high in vegetables, fruits and grains at the same time
low in total fat (type of fat was not monitored). the other 60% of the
women ate their usual diet.
A team at Harvard University found that
after a mean follow-up of just over eight years, the women on the low
fat diet plan program ate 8% less fat overall, including 3% less
saturated fat, and one extra serving per day of fruits or vegetables.
After a mean follow up of just over eight
years, the low fat diet plan program intervention did not significantly
reduce rates of the main outcome measures namely:
Certain risk factors were significantly
improved in the low fat high diet plan program group, including low
density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and diastolic blood pressure.
These improvement were particularly
strong among women with:
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lower intake of saturated fat or trans
fat
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higher intake of vegetables or fruits and
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non significant trends towards reductions
in coronary heart disease risk
Conclusion of Low Calories Diet Plan
The researches add that the results
suggest reducing total body fat may not be enough but instead
lifestyles interventions may be needed to improve risk factors and
reduce cardiovascular disease risk.
The types of fats consumed is the main
focus that needed to be address.
Extracted from Journal of the American
Medical Association (vol 295, February 8, 2006, pp.655-66)
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