High-Protein Diets Increase Weight Gain

Those at risk for cardiovascular disease should avoid high-protein diets that may increase weight-gain and risk for early death, according to a presentation at the European Congress on Obesity that took place in Prague, CZ. Researchers re-analyzed the 2013 Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with a Mediterranean Diet (PREDIMED) Trial. Those who ate large quantities of protein and a small amount of carbohydrates—similar to an Atkins diet—were almost twice as likely to gain more than 10 percent of their body weight and experienced a 59 percent increase in all-cause mortality during the study. High protein diets are associated with increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, and insulin sensitivity.