Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests a higher protein, lower GI diet is a winner when it comes to keeping weight loss from building back up. People with diabetes looking for a sensible diabetic diet will be interested by the results.
The study compared five different diets with over 1,200 people from across the European Union taking part.
The five diets included:
1. low protein, low GI;
2. low protein, high GI;
3. high protein, low GI;
4. high protein, high GI;
5. a control diet with moderate protein.
For the purposes of the study, a low protein diet was one in which protein accounted for 13 per cent of calories, and a high protein diet was one with protein making up 25 per cent of calories.
All five diets included a ‘moderate’ fat content, at 25-30 per cent of total calories. The participants were all adults who had recently lost at least 8 per cent of their body weight through a specific calorie controlled diet.
The results found that the most successful of the five diets was the high protein, low GI diet which saw the lowest participant drop out rate and less weight regain.
The researchers are keen to point out that the successful higher protein diets included a ‘modest’ increase in protein with none of the diets featuring much more protein than 25 per cent of the total calorie intake. The NHS regards the research as a well conducted study and one that is “worth bearing in mind” for people who are looking to keep their weight down.

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