A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can improve cardiometabolic health even if it doesn’t lead to weight loss, according to a new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Ben Gurion University in Israel.
Study Overview
The study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, analyzed data from nearly 800 individuals with abdominal obesity who participated in three workplace-based nutrition clinical trials over several years. Key findings include:
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Approximately one-third of participants did not lose weight despite closely following prescribed diets, which included:
- Low-fat diets
- Low-carbohydrate Mediterranean diets
- Green-Mediterranean diets
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Significant improvements were observed in various cardiometabolic markers, including:
- Higher levels of HDL cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol)
- Lower leptin levels (a hormone that regulates hunger)
- Lower blood pressure
Insights from Researchers
Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, dean for policy and global affairs at Harvard Chan School and senior author of the study, expressed surprise at the benefits seen among participants who did not lose weight. He emphasized the importance of focusing on dietary quality rather than solely on weight loss.
Mozaffarian noted that while previous studies have shown that adopting a healthy diet can reduce risk factors for heart disease, they often focused on individuals who lost weight. This study demonstrates that certain diets can positively affect overall health, even without weight loss.
Research Methodology
The researchers utilized data from three randomized controlled trials conducted between 2015-2020:
- Two small-scale studies at Ben Gurion University’s Sde Boker campus.
- A larger trial involving employees at an Israeli bank.
- A trial involving employees at an Israeli insurance company.
- A trial conducted among employees at an American university campus near Boston.
- A trial involving remote employees across Israel using video conferencing technology for weekly support from registered dietitians.
Participants were randomly assigned to follow either low-fat or low-carbohydrate diets for 18-24 months, or Mediterranean or green-Mediterranean diets for 12-24 months. All participants received regular counseling sessions with registered dietitians via video conferencing.
Key Findings
The results showed significant improvements across all four interventions compared to controls:
- In both small-scale studies, there was no difference between groups receiving Mediterranean vs. green-Mediterranean diets, though both showed greater improvement than those on low-fat vs. low-carb diets.
- In both large-scale studies, there was no difference between green-Mediterranean vs. Mediterranean diets, but both showed greater improvement than those on low-fat vs. low-carb diets.
Overall, more than half of participants experienced some degree of weight loss during the study period, though only about one-third lost enough to be classified as overweight or obese based on body mass index (BMI).
Despite not losing weight, these individuals still experienced improvements in various cardiometabolic markers, including:
- Higher levels of HDL cholesterol
- Lower leptin levels
- Lower blood pressure
Conclusion
Dr. Mozaffarian concluded that these findings suggest dietary quality may be more important than weight loss for improving cardiometabolic health. He highlighted the need to focus on healthy diets rather than specifically trying to lose weight.
Future research should investigate whether similar benefits occur when individuals adopt healthy eating patterns without professional guidance or support through structured programs.
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