Study Finds Calories, Not Type of Diet, Influence Weight Loss

Seattle – For those trying to lose weight, the number of popular diets can seem confusing, if not overwhelming. Should one maintain low carbohydrates, high protein, low fat, or low sugar? The answer? It doesn’t matter.

In the largest ever study of weight loss methods, the New England Journal of Medicine reports that no matter the diet, the average participant lost the same amount of weight.

The main driver of weight loss proved to be the reduction in total calories as participants lost 13 lbs within the first six months and 9 lbs after two years.

Dr. Frank M. Sacks, the study’s lead author and professor of cardiovascular disease prevention at the Harvard School of Public Health next wants to know what are the biological, physical, or social factors that determine whether a person can stick to a diet. “…The effect of individual behavior is humongous. We had some people losing 50 pounds and some people gaining five pounds. That’s what we don’t have a clue about. I think in the future, researchers should focus less on the actual diet but on finding what is really the biggest governor of success in these individuals.”