title: A high-fibre bean-rich diet versus a low-carbohydrate diet for obesity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  High-fibre and low-carbohydrate diets may enhance satiety and promote weight loss. We compared a diet rich in beans aiming to increase dietary fibre and promote weight loss with a low-carbohydrate diet in a randomised controlled trial to assess effect and tolerability of the high-fibre bean-rich diet.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and seventy-three women and men, with a mean body mass index of approximately 36 kg m(-2) (one-fifth with diabetes type 2) were randomised to a high-fibre bean-rich diet that achieved mean (SD) fibre intakes of 35.5 (18.6) g day(-1) for women and 42.5 (30.3) g day(-1) for men, or a low-carbohydrate diet. Both diets were induced gradually over 4 weeks and included a 3-day feeding phase. Among 123 (71.1%) completers at 16 weeks, mean (SD) weight loss was 4.1 (4.0) kg in the high-fibre versus 5.2 (4.5) kg in the low-carbohydrate group [difference, 1.1 kg, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -2.6 to -0.5; P = 0.2], with results similar to the intent-to-treat population. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol levels decreased with the high-fibre diet (difference in LDL-cholesterol versus low-carbohydrate diet, 0.2 mmol L(-1) , 95% CI = 0.01-0.44 mmol L(-1) ; P = 0.045), as did total cholesterol (P = 0.038), whereas changes in other lipids and glucose did not differ. After 52 weeks, the low-carbohydrate (n = 24) group tended to retain weight loss better than the high-fibre group (P = 0.06), although total cholesterol remained lower with the bean-rich diet (P = 0.049).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high-fibre bean-rich diet was as effective as a low-carbohydrate diet for weight loss, although only the bean-rich diet lowered atherogenic lipids.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tonstad
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Haddad
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy; D004032:Diet; D050528:Diet, Carbohydrate-Restricted; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007887:Fabaceae; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D055105:Waist Circumference; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D014280:Triglycerides
keywords: beans; dietary fibre; low-carbohydrate; obesity; weight loss