Negative Arguments. The American Heart Association argues that the Ornish program is so difficult to maintain that it will not benefit many people. The comparison study showing the advantage of the Ornish over the Step 2 diet, in fact, was very small because few participants could sustain the efforts needed to fulfill the requirements of the Ornish program for five years.

Some experts argue that it is not clear whether fat-restriction or the other elements in the program, exercise and stress reduction, are mainly responsible for its benefits.

High-carbohydrate and low-fat diets can reduce HDL levels.

Type 2 diabetics who tend to be overweight and insulin-resistant overproduce glucose after carbohydrate intake, which in turn requires more insulin to process it. This leads to appetite stimulation and production of fat.

Very low-fat diets may also increase the risk for stroke from hemorrhage in the brain.

Very low fat diets may reduce calcium absorption, which may be particularly harmful in women at risk for osteoporosis.
Many people who reduce their fat intake do not consume enough of the basic nutrients, including vitamins A and E, folic acid, calcium, iron, and zinc. People on low-fat diets should consume a wide variety of foods and take a multivitamin if appropriate.

http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/health...nguidediet.html

http://www.americanheart.org/presen...identifier=4657

Yee-haw! Finally, a major health association is pulling away from low-fat! Publicly! Yay!

;-Deb

It's nice to see Dr. Ornish's fat-phobic fad diet being tossed aside into the "too hard to follow" category.