Fat Gram Counting Better Than Food Record, Study Shows

Counting fat grams is more effective than keeping food records, according to a study conducted by researchers at The DeBakey Heart Center at Baylor College of Medicine. "For years, dietitians have used the food record rating system to calculate how much total fat patients eat," says Dr. William Insull, professor of medicine and director of the Lipid Research Clinic at Baylor and The Methodist Hospital. "Fat gram-counting is a simpler alternative and is less time-consuming for both the dietitian and the patient." Dr. Insull and registered dietitian Donna S. Roy collaborated with a research team of dietitians and recruited 78 study participants who were randomly assigned to a fat gram-counting group and food record rating group led by dietitians to test the effectiveness of both methods. "We found no significant differences in dietary adherence in the two groups," Dr. Insull says. "The patients in the fat gram- counting group were just as well-instructed as the other group."

-- From The DeBakey Heart Center

---

Courtesy of Texas Medical Center News

---

---

©2006 Texas Medical Center

---

E-Mail: tmcinfo@texmedctr.tmc.edu
URL: http://www.tmc.edu/health_briefs/02_15_98-fat.html