The low-carbohydrate diet produced a greater weight loss (absolute difference, approximately 4 percent) than did the conventional diet for the first six months, but the differences were not significant at one year. The low-carbohydrate diet was associated with a greater improvement in some risk factors for coronary heart disease. Adherence was poor and attrition was high in both groups. Longer and larger studies are required to determine the long-term safety and efficacy of low-carbohydrate, high-protein, high-fat diets.

EWING. A randomized controlled trial of a commercial Internet weight loss program. Obes Res. 2004;12: 1011-1018. Objective: To assess, in a 1-year randomized controlled trial, the efficacy of eDiets.com (a commercial Internet weight loss program) in improving weight, cardiovascular health, and quality of life. Research Methods and Procedures: Participants were 47 women with a mean age of 43.7 Ϯ 10.2 (SD) years and a mean BMI of 33.5 Ϯ 3.1 kg/m 2 . They were randomly assigned to either: 1) eDiets.com, a commercial Internetbased program available to the public; or 2) a weight loss manual (i.e., LEARN Program for Weight Control 2000). At baseline, participants in both groups met briefly with a psychologist who instructed them to follow the components of their program as closely as possible. Additional brief visits were provided at weeks 8, 16, 26, and 52 to review their progress. Change in weight was the main outcome measure. Results: At week 16, participants in eDiets.com lost 0.9 Ϯ 3.2% of initial weight compared with 3.6 Ϯ 4.0% for women assigned to the weight loss manual. At week 52, losses increased to 1.1 Ϯ 4.0% and 4.0 Ϯ 5.1%, respectively. Results of a last-observation-carried-forward analysis found that women in the manual group lost significantly (p Ͻ 0.05) more weight (at both times) than those treated by eDiets.com. (Results, however, of baseline-carried-forward and completers analyses did not reach statistical significance.) There were no significant differences between groups in changes in cardiovascular risk factors or quality of life. Discussion: This study provides consumers with important information about the probable benefits they can expect from participating in a popular Internet-based weight loss program.

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FOSTER. GARY D. AND BRIAN G. MCGUCKIN. Estimating resting energy expenditure in obesity. Obes Res. 2001 ;9:367S-372S.In the treatment of obesity, assessment of resting energy expenditure (REE) can provide the basis for prescribing an individualized energy intake to attain a desired level of energy deficit. Indirect calorimetry is the most frequently used method to measure REE, but the great expense of equipment precludes its widespread use. As a result, REE is often estimated by predictive formulas based on weight. height. age. and gender. This paper examines the accuracy of these formulas in estimating REE among obese patients, discusses the assumptions underlying their use. and reviews the need for technological advances that will make the assessment of REE accurate, portable, and inexpensive.

(J Chiropr Med 2002;1:3-8)