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<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3640153.stm>


   
Last Updated: Monday, 19 April, 2004, 23:51 GMT 00:51 UK  


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Strict diets 'cut heart disease'
 
Nutritious food improves health

Stringent dieting can dramatically reduce the risk of heart disease, a 
study shows. 

Researchers at Washington University examined people who had curbed 
their calorie intake and avoided processed foods for a number of years. 

They were found to have the health of people decades younger, the study 
in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences said. 

UK experts said even small adjustments to diet can improve people's 
health. 

The research suggests that long-term dieting can provide powerful 
protection against both heart disease and diabetes. 


Levels of "bad" cholesterol and triglyceride blood fats were very low in 
the people studied. 

And the group, whose average age was 50, had blood pressure readings 
similar to that of the average 10-year-old. 


 Calorie restriction has a powerful protective effect against diseases 
associated with ageing 



Professor John Holloszy 


Professor John Holloszy, from Washington University School of Medicine 
in St Louis, who led the study, said: "It's very clear from these 
findings that calorie restriction has a powerful protective effect 
against diseases associated with ageing." 

Research has consistently shown that stringent calorie restriction can 
increase the lifespan of mice and rats by about 30% and protect them 
against cancer. 

Unclear 

But the long term effect of such dieting on humans has been unclear. 
Professor Holloszy's team is thought to be the first to look at 
individuals who had been on a low-calorie diet for a long period of 
time. 

By consuming small amounts of nutrient-dense foods, members of the group 
try to take in between 10% and 25% fewer calories than the average 
American. 

The 18 individuals who joined the study had been following this dietary 
regime for between three and 15 years. 

They ate a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, dairy products, egg 
whites, wheat and soy proteins, and meat. 

They avoided all processed foods containing trans-fatty acids, as well 
as refined carbohydrates, desserts, snacks and soft drinks. 

The scientists focused on risk factors for atherosclerosis, the 
narrowing of arteries that can trigger heart attacks or strokes and is 
the leading cause of death in the Western world. 

Reduced 

Insulin concentrations - one of the markers of diabetes risk - were also 
as much as 65% lower than they were for people with a normal diet. 

Dr Luigi Fontana, who also took part in the research, said: "These 
effects are all pretty dramatic. 

"For the first time, we've shown that calorie restriction is feasible 
and has a tremendous effect on the risk of atherosclerosis and 
diabetes." 

Dr Ian Campbell, president of the National Obesity Forum in the UK, said 
the findings could prove useful. 

He said: "What we do know, and what this study backs up, is that 
avoiding unnecessary calories and maintaining a healthy weight leads to 
significant health benefits. 

"Normal people making sensible adjustments to their diet and exercise 
can have a significant impact." 

But people often needed assistance from their doctor or a weight loss 
group to help them with weight control, he said. 

Dr Tim Bowker, associate medical director of the British Heart 
Foundation, said: "To a certain extent, these findings are not 
surprising. It tends to underline just how unhealthy the typical Western 
diet really is. 

"However, it should be noted that the study was performed in a small 
group of selected individuals. 

"Nevertheless, it is encouraging to see just how much difference can be 
made to one's health through several years of following a healthy diet." 



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