High-Protein Diets

AHA Recommendation

The American Heart Association doesn't recommend high-protein diets for weight loss. Some of these diets restrict healthful foods that provide essential nutrients and don't provide the variety of foods needed to adequately meet nutritional needs. People who stay on these diets very long may not get enough vitamins and minerals and face other potential health risks.

Background

Many Americans follow popular diets, such as the Atkins, Zone, Protein Power, Sugar Busters and Stillman diets. Most of these diets aren't balanced in terms of the essential nutrients our bodies need. Some are high protein and emphasize foods like meat, eggs and cheese, which are rich in protein and saturated fat. Some restrict important carbohydrates such as cereals, grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products. If followed for a long time, they can result in potential health problems. And while they may result in quick weight loss, more research is needed on their effectiveness for long-term weight loss.
These diets can cause a quick drop in weight because eliminating carbohydrates causes a loss of body fluids. Lowering carbohydrate intake also prevents the body from completely burning fat. In the diets that are also high in protein, substances called ketones are formed and released into the bloodstream, a condition called ketosis. It makes dieting easier because it lowers appetite and may cause nausea.

But these diets have other effects besides inducing quick weight loss.

Most Americans already eat more protein than their bodies need. And eating too much protein can increase health risks. High-protein animal foods are usually also high in saturated fat. Eating large amounts of high-fat foods for a sustained period raises the risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke and several types of cancer. People who can't use excess protein effectively may be at higher risk of kidney and liver disorders, and osteoporosis.
That's why the American Heart Association guidelines urge adults who are trying to lose weight and keep it off to eat no more than 35 percent of total daily calories from fat and less than 7 percent of total daily calories from saturated fat and less than 1 percent of total daily calories from trans fat. On most high-protein diets, meeting these goals isn't possible.
Some high-protein diets de-emphasize high-carbohydrate, high-fiber plant foods. These foods help lower cholesterol when eaten as part of a nutritionally balanced diet. Reducing consumption of these foods usually means other, higher-fat foods are eaten instead. This raises cholesterol levels even more and increases cardiovascular risk.
High-protein diets don't provide some essential vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutritional elements. A high-carbohydrate diet that includes fruits, vegetables, nonfat dairy products and whole grains also has been shown to reduce blood pressure. Thus, limiting these foods may raise blood pressure by reducing the intake of calcium, potassium and magnesium while simultaneously increasing sodium intake.

What's the best way to lose weight?

A healthy diet that includes a variety of foods and is rich in fresh fruits and vegetables along with regular physical activity can help most people manage and maintain weight loss for both cardiovascular health and appearance. The American Heart Association urges people to take a safe and proven route to losing and maintaining weight. By paying attention to portion size and calories and following our guidelines, you can enjoy healthy, nutritionally balanced weight loss for a lifetime of good health.

U.S. opposes fixing greenhouse gas cuts at G8

French President Nicolas Sarkozy suggested Europeans would press Washington until the very end on the divisive issue."We need quantifiable targets in the final text," Sarkozy told reporters. "It is an extremely important point and I intend to talk to the president of the United States about it as early as this evening," he added.It appeared the United States could accept language calling for "substantial" reductions in global emissions in the long term, according to a draft G8 document written in late May.Bush said his plan announced last week for talks among the top 15 emitters of greenhouse gases with the aim of agreeing long-term reductions by the end of 2008 would "fold into the U.N. framework" on tackling climate change.Many European nations had expressed concerns that Bush's plan might undermine U.N. talks on a global deal to replace the Kyoto Protocol, the main U.N. plan until 2012 for curbing greenhouse gases released mainly by burning fossil fuels.
The United States is the only G8 nation outside Kyoto."I also come with a strong desire to work with you on a post-Kyoto agreement about how we can achieve major objectives" including cuts in greenhouse gases, Bush told Merkel after a lunch of veal schnitzel and asparagus.Merkel, who brokered an EU deal in March which includes binding cuts in emissions, has also been pushing for a G8 pledge to limit warming of global temperatures to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit), seen as a threshold for dangerous changesFrench President Nicolas Sarkozy suggested Europeans would press Washington until the very end on the divisive issue.
It appeared the United States could accept language calling for "substantial" reductions in global emissions in the long term, according to a draft G8 document written in late May.Bush said his plan announced last week for talks among the top 15 emitters of greenhouse gases with the aim of agreeing long-term reductions by the end of 2008 would "fold into the U.N. framework" on tackling climate change.Many European nations had expressed concerns that Bush's plan might undermine U.N. talks on a global deal to replace the Kyoto Protocol, the main U.N. plan until 2012 for curbing greenhouse gases released mainly by burning fossil fuels.But she may have to settle for an expression of U.S. support for United Nations efforts to combat climate change and an agreement to tackle emissions at a later date."I think we all know that the goals agreed by the European Union cannot be accepted by the entire world," she said.
Officials were also involved in last-minute wrangling over commitments to fighting poverty in Africa, another of Merkel's G8 priorities. Leaders will refer to pledges made at the Gleneagles summit in 2005 to double development aid by 2010.

But Italy and Canada are resisting concrete language in the communique on a pledge to lift overall annual aid by $50 billion (25 billion pounds) by 2010 and also, with Japan, blocking country-specific figures.Near the venue, police used water cannon to disperse groups of protesters and clear roads, detaining some 160 activists. Eight police officers were injured in the clashes.Some marchers damaged a rail track used to shuttle officials in and out of the summit site. Others blocked roads, temporarily cutting off all ground access to the venue."We had a super plan and we surprised the police, who didn't know how to stop us," said Gunar Finke, a student from the southern German city of Freiburg.