The South Beach Heart Programme

The South Beach Heart Programme was developed by Arthur Agatson, MD, author of the popular South Beach Diet book series. The programme consists of four steps:

Heart-healthy eating according to South Beach diet principlesRegular aerobic exercise, such as walking, and core-strengthening exerciseDiagnostic testing including both routine blood pressure and blood lipid measurements, as well as newer tests such as blood lipoprotein subfractions, C-reactive protein, homocysteine, and heart scanning to detect atherosclerotic plaque in the arteries supplying the heartUsing medications and supplements as necessary to reduce heart disease risk factors

Best bets: Emphasise low-glycaemic-index carbs like whole grains, salad vegetables, and fruits like pears and apples. Choose healthy mono-unsaturated fats instead of disease-promoting saturated fats. Look for South Beach diet products and see our Low-Glycaemic-Index Diet article for more information.

Why do people follow this diet?

The South Beach Heart Programme is specifically designed to prevent heart disease and stroke, two of the most common causes of death and disability in the Western world.

What do the advocates say?

Agatson, a cardiologist, says that the medical profession is oriented towards invasive treatment of existing heart disease rather than preventing the disease in the first place. He believes that certain noninvasive techniques for evaluating heart disease risk are underused by the medical profession, and that addressing risks identified by those diagnostic techniques using South Beach diet principles, regular aerobic and core-strengthening exercise, and use of medications as necessary will reduce the need for invasive procedures such as angioplasty and bypass surgery. Agatson terms this approach “aggressive prevention” and claims he has seen vast reductions in the number of heart attacks and referrals for heart surgery in his own medical practice as a result of this approach.

What do the critics say?

So far, there has been no significant critical evaluation of the South Beach Heart Programme. Critics of other diet and lifestyle programmes say that they are often difficult for people to adhere to. Critics of the newer noninvasive tests such as those recommended by this programme, say they are expensive and have not been adequately tested for reliability.

Best Bets

The dietary principles used in the South Beach Heart Programme are the same as for The South Beach diet weight-loss programme. However, certain foods are emphasized for their specific health effects:

For reducing risks associated with LDL (“bad”) cholesterol

Nuts and seeds, apples, oat bran, tea, grapefruit, olive oil, rape seed oil, pulses such as kidney beans, soybeans, lentils

For raising HDL (“good”) cholesterol

Red wine and other alcoholic drinks, in moderation

For lowering triglycerides

Cold-water, fatty fish such as salmon, Spanish mackerel, light tuna, and sardines; nuts; whole grains

For lowering blood pressure

Low-fat dairy products, dark chocolate, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, pulses; red wine in moderation

Are there any groups or books associated with this diet?

The South Beach Heart Program: The 4-Step Plan that Can Save Your Life by Arthur Agatston, MD. New York: Rodale Press, 2006.

Official Web site for the South Beach diet: www.southbeachdiet.com

Bibliography

The South Beach Diet. Special Feature Section of WebMD. www.webmd.com/content/pages/15/96038.htm; accessed 1/26/2007.

Arthur Agatston, MD. The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss. New York: Rodale Press, 2003.

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The information presented in the Food Guide is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or chemist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires September 2008.