Weight Loss Treatments

Study finds low-carb diets are as effective as low in fat and calories to reduce weight but also reduces stress significantly. Another interesting finding of this study is to corroborate the effectiveness of group meetings to lose weight.

Most studies conducted to compare the relative effectiveness of different types of diets are made on population, except the very overweight is healthy. Among other reasons, is to avoid undesirable interference between the disease (and possibly medication that is taken as a result of it) and the variables measured.

However, this is not realistic, since obesity is often accompanied by various conditions, and one of the most common and important is hypertension, which in turn can cause serious diseases.

In a recent study conducted at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina (United States) has decided to include real patients, that is, people with lung diseases associated with obesity, like diabetes and heart disease. Counted with 146 volunteers, who divided into two groups.

The first was submitted to a diet very low in carbohydrates: less than 20 grams per day. The second was prescribed a diet low in calories and fat. In addition, components of the latter group took 120 milligrams of orlistat (trade names, Xenical and Alli), three times a day. As is known, this drug prevents the absorption of the fat ingested.

Whether they belong to one group or another, all participants had group meetings in which they were given instructions on feeding and making a follow-up results. These meetings were every two weeks during the first six months, and every 30 days thereafter.

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