Zone diet
The Zone diet is a high-fat, low carbohydrate fad diet devised by biochemist Barry Sears.[1] It specifies the consumption of calories from carbohydrates and protein in a specified ratio, recommending eating five times a day to create a sense of satiety that discourages overeating. Like other low-carbohydrate diets, the theories behind this diet are unproven and there is insufficient scientific evidence to determine if it is safe or effective.
Diet
The Zone Diet is a fad diet[2] in the low-carbohydrate diet school that was created by Barry Sears, a biochemist.[3][4][1]
The diet advocates eating five times a day, with 3 meals and 2 snacks, and includes eating proteins, carbohydrates - those with a lower glycemic index are considered more favorable, and fats (monounsaturated fats are considered healthier) in a ratio of 30%-40%-30%. The hand is used as mnemonic tool; five fingers for five times a day, with no more than five hours between meals. The size and thickness of the palm is used to measure protein while two big fists measures favorable carbohydrates and one fist unfavorable carbohydrates. There is a more complex scheme of "Zone blocks" and "miniblocks" that followers of the diet can use to determine the ratios of macronutrients consumed. Daily exercise is encouraged.[4]
The diet falls about midway in the continuum between the USDA-recommended food pyramid which advocates eating grains, vegetables, and fruit and reducing fat, and the high-fat Atkins Diet.[5]
Concept
Like other low-carb diets, one of the ideas on which the diet is based, is that meals constructed to create a sense of satiety will discourage overeating. Also, like other low-carb diets, the glycemic index is used to classify carbohydrates. Both ideas are meant to promote weight loss via reduction in calories consumed, and avoid spikes in insulin release, thus supporting the maintenance of insulin sensitivity.[3][5]
The Zone diet proposes that a precise 0.75 ratio betweens proteins and carbohydrates is essential to "reduce the insulin to glucagon ratio, which purportedly affects eicosanoid metabolism and ultimately produces a cascade of biological events leading to a reduction in chronic disease risk, enhanced immunity, maximal physical and mental performance, increased longevity and permanent weight loss."[6]
Efficacy
Like other low-carb diets, the theories underlying the Zone diet are unproven.[3][6]
As of 2013, there were "no cross sectional or longitudinal studies examining the potential health merit of adopting a Zone Diet per se, closely related peer-reviewed findings from scientific research cast strong doubt over the purported benefits of this diet. When properly evaluated, the theories and arguments of popular low carbohydrate diet books like the Zone rely on poorly controlled, non-peer-reviewed studies, anecdotes and non-science rhetoric."[6]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Baron M. Fighting obesity Part 1: Review of popular low-carb diets. Health Care Food Nutr Focus. 2004 Oct;21(10):1, 3-6, 11. Review. PMID 15493377
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Baron M. The Zone Diet. Health Care Food Nutr Focus. 2004 Oct;21(10):8-9, 11. PMID 15493380
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lara-Castro C, Garvey WT. Diet, insulin resistance, and obesity: zoning in on data for Atkins dieters living in South Beach. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004 Sep;89(9):4197-205. PMID 15356006
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Cheuvront SN The Zone Diet phenomenon: a closer look at the science behind the claims. J Am Coll Nutr. 2003 Feb;22(1):9-17. PMID 12569110
