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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – YONKERS, N.Y., May 10, 2011 — Jenny Craig, the diet program that combines counseling with a portion-controlled regimen of pre-made foods supplemented by home cooked sides, has been designated a Ratings winner by Consumer Reports Health. With an overall score of 85, Jenny Craig easily surpassed the popular Weight Watchers (57) program by nearly 30 points.
The diet Ratings are based on adherence to nutritional guidelines set forth by the 2010 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and weight loss and drop-out rates, both short-term and long-term, derived from published clinical trials. And that’s where Jenny Craig excelled. In a 332-person, two-year study of the program published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 92 percent of participants stuck with Jenny Craig for two years, a remarkable level of adherence. As a result, those participants shaved off an average of about 8 percent of their weight.
“The point of the report is to give dieters a side-by-side comparison of the main diet programs so they can choose for themselves. Jenny Craig is worth considering, but if you don’t like the idea of eating prepackaged meals, it may not be the best option for you,” said Nancy Metcalf, senior program editor, Consumer Reports Health. “The best diet is the one that you can stay on. Because if you can’t stick with it, then you won’t lose weight, nor will you be able to keep off any weight you do manage to lose.”
Details about each diet plan and how each faired in Consumer Reports’ Ratings are available online at www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org and in the June issue of Consumer Reports.
The report reviews some emerging evidence relative to weight loss and nutrition:
— Calories, with an asterisk. As Dean Ornish, M.D., puts it, “the first
law of thermodynamics still applies,” meaning that to lose weight you
have to burn more calories than you take in. But new evidence shows that
some forms of calories are actually more filling than others. Protein
is the most satiating nutrient, followed by high-fiber grains, fruits,
and vegetables. “The big name diets are putting this principle to work
to help dieters shed pounds with the fewest hunger pangs,” said Metcalf.
— It’s OK to go low carb. Evidence is accumulating that refined
carbohydrates promote weight gain and type 2 diabetes through their
effects on blood sugar and insulin. Restricting carbs can bring blood
insulin levels down, helping a dieter burn body fat, which in turn helps
you eat fewer calories. On the topic of fat consumption, some
surprising conclusions: The report notes that several epidemiology
studies have found that saturated fat doesn’t seem to increase the risk
of cardiovascular disease or stroke. Other studies suggest that a
dieter might be better off replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat
instead of with certain carbs, the ones that turn to blood sugar
quickly, such as white bread and potatoes. Frank B. Hu, M.D., a
nutrition researcher at the Harvard School of Public Health, recently
wrote that “refined carbohydrates are likely to cause even greater
metabolic damage than saturated fat in a predominantly sedentary and
overweight population.”
— Support matters. Consumer Reports Health reminds dieters not to
discount the impact of a good emotional support system. The Jenny Craig
diet, for instance, includes weekly counseling sessions, and group
support meetings are the foundation of the Weight Watchers plan. Dean
Ornish’s program has run support groups for decades to help people
follow his rigorous program. “Most people think they’re going to have
the hardest time with that support group, and yet it’s the secret sauce
that makes the diet sustainable,” said Ornish.
Web Site: http://www.ConsumerReports.org
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