Thursday July 18, 2002

Press Release

SOURCE: Pritikin Longevity Center

Pritikin Says Dateline's July 16 'Fat Chance' Segment Sends Dangerous Message That High-Fat Diets Are Solution to America' S Skyrocketing Obesity Problem

AVENTURA, Fla., July 18 /PRNewswire/ -- You can lose weight on a high-fat diet; you can lose weight on an all chocolate diet; but at what cost and how long will it last? Scientific studies have proven that saturated fat -- found in excess in a high-fat diet -- increases cholesterol, in turn leading to heart disease (the number one killer in America). Not to mention the high-fat link to cancer.

Losing weight on a high-fat diet is simple math. Pound for pound, high-fat foods like meat and cheese make you feel full on fewer calories than sugary, refined carbs like fat-free cookies. So if you give up these sugary carbs for meat, you're eating fewer calories! When the food industry responded to the "fat is bad for us" outcry by trading fat for man-made sugary, refined carbs, all it did was give us more calories. Combine the increased calories with the sedentary American lifestyle and the result is the fattest nation on earth.

But science has proven that eating saturated fat increases cholesterol, which in turn can cause heart disease. Likewise, eating more red meat is associated with greater risk of cancer. So, by losing weight on a high-fat, high-protein diet, you may be trading a few pounds today for a heart attack, stroke or cancer tomorrow.

There is a healthier alternative: a low-fat diet with seafood and poultry with unprocessed, natural carbs like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. The results published in peer-reviewed medical journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine show that this diet reduces cholesterol, heart disease risk, and cancer risks. And for weight loss, the largest study ever published on the subject, the National Weight Control Registry, showed that most of the nearly 3,000 subjects credit two factors for the success: a low-fat, natural carb diet and regular exercise. They lost on average 64 pounds, and, impressively, kept it off for five years and more. Only 1% followed a high-fat, high-protein diet.

No comparable studies exist on high-fat diets. Without data to show that a high-fat, low-nutrient diet is safe or effective long term, it seems irresponsible to promote such a diet. And, don't believe the myth that a low-fat diet means Tofu. Replace your high fat diet of iced-tea, steak and cheese with a glass of wine, grilled salmon with wild rice and roasted red peppers, and a Pritikin chocolate mousse for dessert! Isn't it better to lose the weight AND reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer at the same time?

Steven Masley, M.D.
Medical Director, on behalf of the Pritikin Scientific Advisory Board
Aventura, Florida
800-327-4914
www.pritikin.com

Pritikin Scientific Advisory Board
305.935.7131 or 800.327.4914 or info~pritikin.com

R. James Barnard, PhD
UCLA Department of Physiological Science

Robert Bauer, M.D.
Physician, Pritikin Longevity Center

Stephen Inkeles, MD, MPH
UCLA School of Medicine

James J. Kenney, PhD, RD
Nutrition Research Specialist, Pritikin Longevity Center

Michaelene Manus, PhD
Behavioral Program Director, Pritikin Longevity Center

Steven Masley, M.D.
Medical Director, Pritikin Longevity Center

William McCarthy, PhD
UCLA School of Public Health

Jeffrey Novick, MS, RD
Nutrition Director, Pritikin Longevity Center

SOURCE: Pritikin Longevity Center


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