Devotees of the Atkins diet may be surprised to learn that pasta won't necessarily increase their weight, according to research by a University professor who instead found such foods could make them healthier. A recent study conducted by Kinesiology Prof. Glen Gaesser concluded people who digest more carbohydrates tend to be thinner and healthier than people whose diets are low in carbs. The study was published in the October issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
Gaesser said his research found that low-carb diets are "not sustainable." While diet plans such as the Atkins diet claim the type of calories is the main factor in weight gain, in reality, it is the number of calories that is more important, Gaesser said.
"It is not appropriate to refer to carbs as either good or bad, especially by using the glycemic index," Gaesser said. "Eating lots of carbs that have little nutritional value ... and not eating very many carbs with high nutritional value ... is not a good thing."
Gaesser added, however, that a balance including less nutritious carbohydrates as well as those found in high-fiber whole grains is entirely possible.
He added that frequent snacking and lack of exercise are two factors that contribute more to weight gain than consumption of carbohydrates.
Americans "are incredible snackers," Gaesser said. "We consume more calories than we burn off."
Though there has been a recent craze in low-carb diets in recent years, the same phenomenon also occurred in the 1960s and 1970s, according to Gaesser. He said he has been surprised many people still believe carbs are harmful.
According to ADA spokesperson Katherine Tallmadge, several scientific studies in addition to Gaesser's have shown carbohydrates are helpful, not harmful.
A diet plan "that cuts out fruits, vegetables and whole grains is not a healthy diet," she said. "The whole category of carbs is not necessary to cut."
She added that the ADA does not support weight-loss plans such as the Atkins diet that encourage people to decrease carbohydrate intake.
"We believe that people should eat a variety of food and they don't need to eat special low-carb products to lose weight," she said. "Essentially we don't endorse these kinds of food."
The ADA encourages people to eat a variety of foods to achieve a balanced diet rather than searching for quick solutions,
"Cutting out half of what you eat will help you lose weight, but we believe in making small changes that are healthy and realistic," she said. "These are the changes that will last."
Eric Westman, associate medicine professor at Duke University, criticized Gaesser's study because he said the study is one-sided. In addition, the study showed a correlation between diets and weight loss, not a causal relationship, Westman said.
"The study was funded by the Grain Foods Foundation, and it provides a single-sided view of the low-carb issue without any recent data supporting low-carbohydrate diets," Westman said, adding that some of his own research has been funded by the Dr. Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Foundation.
-- Max Hall contributed to this article
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