A recent study has suggested that low-fat diet and Atkins diet showed equal results when it came to weight loss but one of the longest trials found that the Atkins dieters had greater increases in HDL, or ‘good’ cholesterol.

About 307 adults were put under a study and were made to follow one of the three diets being the Atkins low carbohydrate diet, a low-fat diet and a low-calorie diet.

Intensive behaviour modification classes were also attended by all the participants. It was seen that 15 pounds were lost after two years.

Other improvements seen by all the participants of all the diets were lower triglycerides and lower LDL, or ‘bad’ cholesterol and improvements in heart disease risk factors. But they also had side-effects like dry mouth, hair loss, bad breath and constipation.

Dr. Gary Foster, director of the obesity center at Temple University, said, “As little as a four per cent weight loss has been found to prevent development of Type 2 diabetes.”

But all the participants saw equal weight loss by the three diets over a period of two years.