Atkins-Style Diet Helps Lipid Levels Remain Stable

A 6-week study of 23 obese patients with atherosclerosis showed that weight loss on a high-fat, nostarch Atkins-style diet did not increase their lipid levels. All the participants were being treated with statins. No changes, however, were made as to their drugs or the dosing during the study.

For the study, reported recently in the

Mayo Clinic Proceedings

, the participants were told to eat half of their calories as saturated fat for 6 weeks. Other sources of food were permitted except for starches. The results showed that individuals on the diet dropped a significant 5.2% of their total body weight and lowered their body fat percentage by a similar amount. Also, no changes in low-density lipoprotein or high-density lipoprotein were seen with the diet, but it was linked with a significant reduction in total triglyceride levels.