CSIRO Total Wellbeing diet (high protein diet)

In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in June 2005 Noakes et al report that women who followed the CSIRO high protein low fat moderate carbohydrate diet for three months lost around 7 kilograms - but the research also showed that those who followed a conventional high-carbohydrate diet lost just as much weight. The CSIRO diet recommends 100 grams of meat at lunch and 200 grams at dinner (which is about double the quantity of meat recommended by other calorie controlled diets) and about 3 serves of cereals/breads a day (which is also less than most conventional diets). The diet consists of: 35g breakfast cereal, 250ml low fat milk, 2 slices wholegrain bread, 2 fruits, 2.5 cups vegetables, 200g diet yoghurt, 3 teaspoons canola oil; 2 glasses wine a week (optional).

The study showed that dieters found it easier to stick to the high-protein diet than one rich in carbohydrates. And a subsequent study showed people who stayed on the CSIRO diet for 12 months were 3 kilograms lighter than when they started out compared to the conventional dieters. Also, women with high levels of triglycerides, or blood fat, lost more body fat on the CSIRO diet. Protein-centred weight loss programs are believed to be beneficial because it is thought that carbohydrates can increase appetite by stimulating the production of insulin and it is being hypothesised, although not yet demonstrated, that insulin causes resistance to the action of the hormone leptin, which regulates hunger. Nutrition experts have criticised the CSIRO diet as being too high in meat and too low in wholegrains.

The Nutrition Editorial Team of the HEC are continually amazed and dismayed at how colleagues and the public are so besotted by macronutrients (i.e carbohydrate, fat and protein) which come not only in various forms and accompanied by various vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, but are also found in various culinary combinations. All of this needs to be translated into food which in turn needs to take into account all the combinations and permutations of macronutrients. It is far too simplistic for long term health to focus on macronutrients only. In the short term certain macronutrient combinations may help weight loss, but in the long term whole foods must be addressed for optimal health. We know from our studies (Food Habits in Later Life) that it is possible to achieve optimal health with a spectrum of macronutrient combinations provided the food orientation is towards plants and there is real biological variety amongst the foods and key items like legumes and fish are included. This means that the fats, proteins and carbohydrates will be consumed from relatively unrefined sources (e.g nuts, seeds, wholegrains). HEC nutrition experts recommend that you shift your thinking from macronutrients to whole foods.

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September 2005