by the federal government.) and followed women for 8
years. This study has been extended and these women
will be followed until 2010.
Critics of this study claim that the low-fat group
did not reduce their fat significantly enough to make a
difference in health and that the study did not cover
enough time. Others said that eating unsaturated fat (a
Mediterranean diet) was heart healthy and that this
study did not distinguish between saturated and unsa-
turated fat intake. Supporters of the study have said
that it shows that how much people eat and how much
they exercise (their calorie balance) are more impor-
tant than what they eat. This study is likely to stim-
ulate more research into low fat diets and the health
differences between unsaturated and saturated fats.Resources
BOOKS
American Heart AssociationAmerican Heart Association
Low-fat, Low-cholesterol Cookbook: Delicious Recipes
to Help Lower your Cholesterol.New York, NY:
Clarkson Potter, 2004.
Ornish, Dean.Eat More, Weigh Less: Dr. Dean Ornish’s
Advantage Ten Program for Losing Weight Safely While
Eating Abundantly. New York: Quill, 2001.
PERIODICALS
American Heart Association Science Advisory Board. ‘‘Very
Low Fat Diets.’’Circulation.98 (1998):935-39.<http://
circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/98/935>
Kolata, Gina. ‘‘Low-Fat Diet Does Not Cut health Risks,
Study Finds.’’New York Times. February 8, 2006.
<http://www.nytimes.com/>
ORGANIZATIONS
American Dietetic Association. 120 South Riverside Plaza,
Suite 2000, Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995. Telephone:
(800) 877-1600. Website:<http://www.eatright.org>
American Heart Association. 7272 Greenville Avenue, Dal-
las, TX 75231. Telephone: (800) 242-8721. Website:
<http://www.americanheart.org>
OTHER
Harvard School of Public Health. ‘‘Interpreting News on
Diet.’’ Harvard University, 2007.<http://
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/media.html>
Jackson Siegelbaum Gastroenterology. ‘‘Low Fat Diet.’’
2006 <http://www.gicare.pated/edtgs11.htm>
Laino, Charlene. ‘‘Traditional Low-Fat Diet Rated
Healthy.’’ WebMD, March 26, 2007.<http://
http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20070326/
traditional-low-fat-diet-rated-healthy>
United States Department of Health and Human Services
and the United States Department of Agriculture.
‘‘Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005.’’ January 12,
2005.<http://www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines>Tish Davidson, A.M.Low-protein diet
Definition
A lowproteindiet, a diet in which people are
required to reduce their intake of protein, is used by
persons with abnormal kidney or liver function to
prevent worsening of their disease.Origins
The low protein diet was developed by dietitians
and nutritionists in response to adverse effects that
protein can have on persons with kidney or liver dis-
ease. Proteins are required for growth, upkeep, and
repair of body tissues. They also help the body fight
infections and heal wounds. Protein contains 16%
nitrogen, which the body eliminates in the urine as
urea. In cases where liver or kidney function is
impaired, urea, ammonia or other toxic nitrogen
metabolites may build up in the blood. The low pro-
tein diet is designed to reduce these nitrogen metabo-
lites and ammonia in individuals with liver disease or
kidney failure and to reduce the workload on the
kidney or liver. If the kidneys, which are responsible
for excretion of urea, are not functioning properly
(renal failure), or if high levels of protein are continu-
ally present in the diet, urea and other toxic nitrogen
compounds build up in the bloodstream, causing loss
of appetite, nausea, headaches, bad taste in the mouth,
and fatigue as well as possibly further adversely affect-
ing the kidney or liver.Description
The low protein diet focuses on obtaining most of
a person’s daily calories from complexcarbohydrates
rather than from proteins. There are two main sources
of protein in the diet: higher levels are found in animal
products, including fish, poultry, eggs, meat, and dairy
products), while lower levels are found in vegetable
products (breads, cereals, rice, pasta, and dried beans).
Generally foods in the high protein food group con-
tains about 8 grams of protein per serving. Cereals and
grains have about 2 grams of protein in 1/2 cup or 1
slice. Vegetables have about 1 gram of protein in 1/2
cup, while fruits have only a trace amount of protein in
1/2 cup. To control protein intake, foods such as
starches, sugars, grains, fruits, vegetables,fats, and
oils should be eaten at levels sufficient to meet daily
energy needs. If a person has diabetes, the diet must
also be designed to control blood sugar.
Protein should never be completely eliminated
from the diet. The amount of protein that can beLow-protein diet