Adherence
Adhering to the MyPlate dietary pattern (focusing on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protein) reduces central adiposity (waist circumference) in overweight, low-income patients, offering a practical alternative to calorie counting.
Follow the MyPlate guidelines: fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables, one-quarter with whole grains, and one-quarter with quality protein. You do not need to count calories. This approach helps reduce belly fat (waist circumference) and is easier to stick to long-term than strict calorie counting, especially if you find tracking numbers stressful.
A MyPlate-based intervention might be a practical alternative to the more traditional CC approach to promoting satiety and facilitating decreases in central adiposity among low-income, mostly Latine primary care patients.
Why this rating
Randomized controlled trial with a moderate sample size (n=261) and 12-month follow-up, though limited to a specific demographic.
Source
Randomized Comparative Effectiveness Trial of 2 Federally Recommended Strategies to Reduce Excess Body Fat in Overweight, Low-Income Patients: MyPlate.gov vs Calorie Counting
William J. McCarthy et al. · The Annals of Family Medicine · 2023
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