Originally published October 18 2005
Study shows a high-protein diet reduces hunger
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Regina Wilshire talks about the important findings of an Australian study presented at the Study of Obesity conference, which demonstrated that dieters with a high level of protein intake reported less hunger than those on high-fat diets.
As a nation, we seem to always be seeking the "easy fix" or the "next big thing" when it comes to losing weight, so I wasn't surprised by the headline "Protein is the new diet hook" in yesterday's USA Today.
The article reviewed recent data from a study out of Australia that was presented this weekend at the North American Association for the Study of Obesity (NAASO) conference.
The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism in September and found that higher protein intake increased satiety in those on a weight-loss diet.
They were randomized into two groups and each group was given a 1,400-calorie-per-day diet to follow that was either "high protein" or "high fat."
Both groups lost about the same amount of weight and improvements in fasting and postprandial insulin and glucose occurred independently of diet composition.
While the results are indeed interesting and show that protein is a factor in satiety, the researchers missed opportunities to explore how macronutrient mix does affect appetite, weight loss and markers like insulin and glucose.
The researchers also failed to provide adequate nutrients to the participants.
In this study, one of the two groups was protein deficient.
Yes, I said it - 63g of protein each day is simply not enough protein intake for an obese individual and that is what the "high fat" group had for their protein intake.
I've said it before and I'll say it again - the key to weight management and health is nutrient-density and adequate calories to support basal metabolism during weight loss.
Until researchers shift their focus from percentage of calories in the diet of macronutrients - fat, protein and carbohydrate - we will continue to fail in our dietary recommendations and fail to provide the general public with usable information to not only lose weight but maintain their weight loss and optimize their health in the long-term.
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