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Research in animal models with different genetics shows that one diet really doesn’t fit all, and what works for some may not be best for others. The researchers used four different groups of animal models to look at how five diets affect health over a six-month period. The genetic differences within each group were almost non-existent, while the genetics between any two of the groups would translate to roughly the same as those of two unrelated people.
The researchers chose the test diets to mirror those eaten by humans-an American-style diet (higher in fat and refined carbohydrates, especially corn) and three that have gotten publicity as being ‘healthier’: Mediterranean (with wheat and red wine extract), Japanese (with rice and green tea extract) and ketogenic, or Atkins-like (high in fat and protein with very few carbs).
The fifth diet was the control group who ate standard commercial chow.
Although some so-called healthy diets did work well for most individuals, one of the four genetic types did very poorly when eating the Japanese-like diet, for example. The fourth strain, which performed just fine on all of the other diets, did terrible on this diet, with increased fat in the liver and markings of liver damage.
They measured physical signs, especially evidence of metabolic syndrome, which is a collection of signs of obesity-related problems, including high blood pressure and cholesterol, fatty liver and levels of blood sugar. They also studied any behavioral differences, from how much they moved around to how much they ate.
Perhaps as could be expected, both in earlier research and in anecdotal evidence in humans, the animal models tended not to do great on the American-style diet. A couple of the strains became very obese and had signs of metabolic syndrome. Other strains showed fewer negative effects, with one showing few changes except for having somewhat more fat in the liver.
With the Mediterranean diet, there was a mix of effects. Some groups were healthy, while others experienced weight gain, although it was less severe than in the American diet. The results demonstrated that a diet that makes one individual lean and healthy might have the complete opposite effect on another. It depends very much on the genetics of the individual and there isn’t one diet that is best for everyone.
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