The South Beach Heart Program
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The South Beach Heart Program
The South Beach Heart Program
The South Beach Heart Program was developed by Arthur Agatson, MD, author of the
popular South Beach Diet book series. The program consists of four steps:
- Heart-healthy eating according to South Beach diet principles
- Regular aerobic exercise, such as walking, and core-strengthening exercise
- Diagnostic 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 heart
- Using medications and supplements as necessary to reduce heart disease risk
factors
Best bets: Emphasize low-glycemic-index carbs like whole grains, salad vegetables,
and fruits like pears and apples. Choose healthy monounsaturated fats instead of
disease-promoting saturated fats. Look for South Beach diet products and see our Low-Glycemic-Index Diet article for more
information.
Why do people follow this diet?
The South Beach Heart Program 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 Program.
Critics of other diet and lifestyle programs say that they are often difficult for people to
adhere to. Critics of the newer noninvasive tests such as those recommended by this program,
say they are expensive and have not been adequately tested for reliability.
Best Bets
The dietary principles used in the South Beach Heart Program are the same as for The South
Beach diet weight-loss program. 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, canola oil, legumes such as
kidney beans, soybeans, lentils
For raising HDL (“good”) cholesterol
- Red wine and other alcoholic beverages, 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, legumes; 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.
Copyright © 2007 Healthnotes, Inc. All rights reserved.
www.healthnotes.com
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company.
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Healthnotes.
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 pharmacist for any health problem and before using any
supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications.
Information expires September 2008.
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