Fed: High protein diet better for men's waist fat: Study

AAP General News (Australia)
12-06-2007
Fed: High protein diet better for men's waist fat: Study

By Tamara McLean, Medical Writer

SYDNEY, Dec 6 AAP - A diet rich in red meat can help overweight men shed layers of
dangerous tummy fat, a new Australian study has found.

The findings from the CSIRO study suggest high protein intake effectively strips abdominal
weight, but opponents of the diet say eating extra meat comes with its own risk, cancelling
out the benefits.

CSIRO dietitian Dr Manny Noakes presented results at a Nutrition Society Conference
in New Zealand suggesting it is easier than previously thought for men to take action
to lose weight.

The study compared a diet high in protein, red meat and fibre with one high in carbohydrate
and fibre.

Trials on more than 100 overweight and obese men found that both diets led to similar
weight losses. However, the high protein diet was more effective at reducing abdominal
fat levels.

"Abdominal fat is a key risk factor for men for a range of diseases including colorectal
and other cancers," Dr Noakes said.

"The results also show that a range of indicators of bowel, kidney and bone health
showed no difference between the high protein diet and the high carbohydrate diet."

But independent nutritionist Dr Rosemary Stanton warned the diet was a double-edged sword.

A report released last month by the World Cancer Research Fund showed a higher incidence
of many cancers, including colorectal cancer, with a high meat diet.

"You need to balance any short term effects on abdominal fat with the long term risk
of increasing the risk of cancer," Dr Stanton said.

"When you do that you have to wonder whether it's worth the risk."

She said the benefits of any special diet were only short-term and never sustainable
into the future, instead recommending that overweight men opt for permanent life style
changes.

"They need to adapt their eating and exercise habits gradually to something they can
live with and that is safe for their long term health," Dr Stanton said.

The CSIRO study, presented in Auckland today, was partly funded by Meat and Livestock Australia.

AAP tam/jt/bwl

KEYWORD: DIET

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