Pritikin vs AHA diet: no difference for peripheral vascular disease

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Among the claims being made on behalf of the Pritikin program, which combines a high-fiber, lowfat diet with exercise, is that it can produce dramatic regressions of atheroma in persons with peripheral vascular disease. Such claims have occasionally been spiced up with stories of octogenarians entering and winning sprints and road races and leaving behind all symptoms of angina, congestive heart failure, and claudication. But a recent study carried out at the University of Alberta in Edmonton and reported at the meeting of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Toronto has shown that a group of Pritikin regimen adherents achieved no greater health benefit for their efforts than did disciples of the more moderate American Heart Association (AHA) diet combined with exercise. In particular, there was no improvement of blood flow in their limbs. Furthermore, because of the restrictions on fat and protein intake, there is some concern