Low-Fat Diets Outlast Low-Carb Diets

(PhysOrg.com) -- Time to try Atkins again? Not so fast.

A new report from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine showed that people who followed a low-carbohydrate diet lost more weight in the first year, but tended to regain most of the weight during the next two years. In contrast, people who stuck to a low-fat diet maintained their weight loss over three years.

The report, which appeared in the March 2 edition of the Annals of Internal Medicine, suggests that the difference in weight regain between groups reflects the initial weight loss, because greater weight loss within the first year was associated with greater weight regain from 12 to 36 months.

If you want to take it off and keep it off, a slow and steady low-fat diet may be right for you.