CONCLUSIONS Pasta in the context of low-GI dietary patterns does not adversely affect adiposity and even reduces body weight and BMI compared with higher-GI dietary patterns .
OBJECTIVE Carbohydrate staples such as pasta have been implicated in the obesity epidemic .
It is unclear whether pasta contributes to weight gain or like other low-glycaemic index ( GI ) foods contributes to weight loss .
We synthesis ed the evidence of the effect of pasta on measures of adiposity .
Motivational effects of 12-week moderately restrictive diets with or without special attention to the Glycaemic Index of foods.
Low glycaemic index ( GI ) diets may facilitate weight loss via behavioural and /or endocrine mechanisms . This study investigated whether the outcomes of the Weight Watchers POINTS Weight-Loss System could be improved by encouraging dieters to select low GI , high-carbohydrate foods . Ninety-six women ( age 20 - 72 years ; BMI 25 - 40 kg/m2 ) were recruited as they started the Weight Watchers POINTS programme for 12 weeks . Weekly classes were r and omized so that seven ( forty-five women ) followed the regular programme while seven others ( fifty-one women ) followed a revised programme encouraging the selection of low GI foods .  Anthropometric and biochemical parameters were measured before and after the 12-week diets . Participants rated hunger and desire to eat using visual analogue scales on 1 d per week , several times per d. Attrition was the same in both groups ( 32 v. 30 % ) , as well as many benefits ( 5 % weight loss , decreases in insulinaemia and blood lipids , waist and hip circumferences , blood pressure ) . Hunger and desire to eat were rated consistently lower in the low GI group over the 12-week diet . Group differences in subjective sensations were especially large in the afternoon . The 12-week weight management yielded many significant anthropometric and biochemical benefits that were not improved by encouraging dieters to select low GI foods . The subjective benefits ( lower hunger and desire to eat ) of the low GI diet may be a worthwhile contribution to the motivation of dieters that might affect adherence to the diet over the long term
CONCLUSIONS Pasta in the context of low-GI dietary patterns does not adversely affect adiposity and even reduces body weight and BMI compared with higher-GI dietary patterns .
OBJECTIVE Carbohydrate staples such as pasta have been implicated in the obesity epidemic .
It is unclear whether pasta contributes to weight gain or like other low-glycaemic index ( GI ) foods contributes to weight loss .
We synthesis ed the evidence of the effect of pasta on measures of adiposity .