A study suggesting that all of 4 popular diets (Atkins, Zone, Weight
Watchers, Ornish) are effective in losing weight and reducing the risk of
heart disease. It goes on to say that the Ornish (vegetarian) diet was the
best for lowering LDL cholesterol and the worst for raising HDL cholesterol.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/diet....red.reut/index.
html

C. James Strutz wrote:
> A study suggesting that all of 4 popular diets (Atkins, Zone, Weight
> Watchers, Ornish) are effective in losing weight and reducing the risk of
> heart disease. It goes on to say that the Ornish (vegetarian) diet was the
> best for lowering LDL cholesterol and the worst for raising HDL cholesterol.
>
> http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/diet....red.reut/index.
> html

Your link broke. Try this: http://tinyurl.com/ugt3

Despite your analysis, I think this paragraph is important:
While the dieters reduced heart disease "risk factors" such as
cholesterol levels, overall blood pressure did not drop much and
the study did not last long enough to see if this translated
into a lower long-term risk of heart disease.

I also disagree with Ornish about the emphasis of HDL. A sound diet will
both lower LDL and elevate HDL. A *balanced* approach will have the
fastest impact on reducing heart disease risks. One way to elevate HDL
is through exercise, but clearly consumption of certain oils is
beneficial. Ornish's very strict veg-n diet avoids even beneficial
polyunsaturated oils like olive and canola.