May Be Time To Stop Counting Calories

Dr Aseem Malhotra MBChB, MRCP Honorary Consultant Cardiologist - Frimley Park Hospital Consultant Clinical Associate to the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges Science Director- Action on Sugar Saving Londoners Lives - External Advisory Board MemberMedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr Aseem Malhotra MBChB, MRCP
Honorary Consultant Cardiologist –
Frimley Park Hospital
Consultant Clinical Associate to the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
Science Director- Action on Sugar
Saving Londoners Lives – External Advisory Board Member

 

Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Dr. Malhotra: It is a review of all the research up to date on what is the impact of diet on health. What type of diet has the most robust evidence for weight and health and how this can be translated into policy to rapidly reduce the burden of chronic disease.

Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Dr. Malhotra:

  • That “low fat” diets to do not improve health outcomes and the public should
    stop counting calories.
  • That a high fat Mediterranean diet is more powerful in reducing the risk of
    heart attack and stroke than any medical treatment.
  • That it’s effect is independent of cholesterol lowering.
  • That rapid weight loss through calorie counting combined with exercise doesn’t
    only not improve health outcomes in the long term for diabetics but can also be
    potentially harmful by increasing CVD risk.

Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Dr. Malhotra: Seeing the impact in real world populations of policy interventions that include the taxing of sugary drinks, banning junk food advertising and increasing the affordability of healthy foods.

Citation:

Aseem Malhotra, James J DiNicolantonio, Simon Capewell. It is time to stop counting calories, and time instead to promote dietary changes that substantially and rapidly reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Open Heart, 2015 DOI: 10.1136/openhrt-2015-000273

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MedicalResearch.com Interview with:, & Dr Aseem Malhotra MBChB, MRCP (2015). May Be Time To Stop Counting Calories 

Last Updated on August 28, 2015 by Marie Benz MD FAAD

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