It wasn't so long ago that the now controversial Atkins diet was a rip-roaring success on both sides of the Atlantic, as evidenced by spectacular sales of not just books, but also Atkins food products, such as snack bars and shakes. However, increasing competition and a reduced appetite for the extreme diet have recently led Atkins Nutritionals (the company that manufactures and markets the diet food products) to file for bankruptcy in the States. I suspect this news will be met with some glee by detractors of the late Dr Robert Atkins and his diet.
While some may be keen to consign the Atkins diet to the bin, I thought I would take a look at some recent research which appears to vindicate its relatively high-protein approach. The research, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, examined the effect of two different diets on appetite. For a fortnight, participants were given a calorie-controlled diet in which 15 per cent of the calories were from protein (with 35 per cent from fat and the rest from carbohydrate). Then the diet was changed to one with the same total number of calories, but in which 30 per cent came from protein (and 20 per cent from fat).
The researchers found that despite contributing the same total number of calories, the higher-protein diet led to significantly increased feelings of fullness and reduced hunger compared to the lower-protein diet. The subjects then continued to eat this higher-protein diet for a further 12 weeks, but this time with no restriction on quantity. During this phase, individuals ate an average of 441 calories less each day than the amount estimated to maintain their weight. This translated into an average weight loss over the 12 weeks of almost 5kg per person.
This study shows protein has more appetite-satisfying potential than fat. Previous research has found that protein is also more sating than carbohydrate. These findings seem to help explain why those who adopt a higher-protein diet often confess to feeling less hungry. Perhaps more importantly, the appetite-quelling effects of protein have profound implications for weight-control in the long term.
While foods such as meat, fish and eggs are rich in protein, not everyone is comfortable with eating animal-derived fare. Also, emphasising these foods places increasing burden on a planet already failing to feed so many. Good plant-based sources of protein include nuts, seeds, beans and lentils. Including these protein-rich and highly nutritious foods in the diet is likely to be a boon for those looking to achieve or attain a healthy weight, without the hunger strikes.
Dear John
I am 62 years old, and over the past decade have found myself increasingly affected by noise such as loud music, sirens and clapping. Is this simply a sign of ageing or is there something I can do?
Brian Noble
Undue sensitivity to noise is often a manifestation of a deficiency in magnesium. The explanation is unclear, but it has been suggested that magnesium deficiency may lead to a malfunction of the tiny stapedius muscle in the ear, which normally dampens the transmission of sound from the eardrum to the inner ear. Whether or not this is true, I do find that those experiencing undue sensitivity to noise often have other symptoms suggestive of magnesium deficiency, such as occasional cramps in the muscles and a tendency to be anxious or 'highly strung'. More importantly, they often seem to respond to a higher magnesium intake. Good food sources include nuts and seeds, and I would encourage you to include these regularly in your diet. I recommend that you also supplement with about 300mg per day. This is likely to reduce your sensitivity to noise over a few weeks or months.
· If you have any issues you would like Dr Briffa to address in his column, please email him on john.briffa@observer.co.uk. Please note that Dr Briffa cannot enter into any correspondence. You can also visit www.drbriffa.com. Before following any recommendations in this column, you should consult your own medical adviser about any medical problems or special health conditions
Nutrition news
While calcium is often touted as the most important bone-building nutrient, it is known that vitamin D is required for the absorption of calcium into the body and bone. Scottish researchers recently explored the relationship between vitamin D levels and bone health by measuring the levels of this nutrient in 548 individuals who had sustained a hip fracture. Almost 98 per cent of them had vitamin D levels below normal. In 25 per cent of cases, vitamin D levels were so low as to be classified as 'unrecordable'. Most of our requirements for vitamin D are met by the action of sunlight on the skin. It is perhaps noteworthy that this study was conducted in Glasgow, the northerly latitude of which may put its inhabitants at particular risk of vitamin D deficiency. This research, published online in Current Research and Opinion, appears to provide further evidence for the critical role that vitamin D plays in bone health. Getting adequate exposure to the sun, especially in the winter, does seem to be an important factor for the prevention of osteoporosis and bone fracture. In addition, it may also help to regularly consume foods rich in vitamin D, including oily fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel, herring and sardines.
