Yahoo Lifestyle What’s the best diet to stick to?
The best kind of diet to follow may be one assigned by others. Photo: Getty
The best diet is one you’re most likely to stick to, but the type of diet may be a decision better left to others.
New research has found that having freedom of choice when it comes to weight loss, may lead to lesser results.
In a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, a group of 207 participants, mostly men, were asked to follow a diet for 48 weeks. Some were given a choice between a low-fat or low-carb diet, while others were randomly assigned one diet or the other.
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Of the cohort who were allowed to choose their method of weight loss, 58 per cent picked the low-carb option. Throughout the study, everyone received group and phone counselling, while researchers measured markers such as weight loss, adherence, attendance and quality of life.
Although researchers believed people who chose their diet would be more invested and more likely to success, the results revealed otherwise. Those who chose their own diet lost around 1.5 kg less weight than those who were assigned a diet.
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“We thought that if they chose the diet based on what foods they preferred that that would help them stick to the diet better, but that’s not what we found,” lead study author Dr William Yancy told Time.
Researchers were unable to explain the reason for the disparity, but suggest it could be due to a “personal trainer” effect. “A lot of people still prefer to have trainer or go to a setting when someone is overseeing what they’re doing,” Yancy said.
