Skip main navigation

New offer! Get 30% off one whole year of Unlimited learning. Subscribe for just £249.99 £174.99. New subscribers only. T&Cs apply

Find out more

Overview of a High Protein Diet

Learn more about a high protein diet and its health importance.

In this article, you will learn more about high protein diets and research studies that support their health benefits.

What is a High Protein Diet?

A high protein diet is typically defined as a diet where 25-30% of caloric intake comes from protein. The additional protein consumed is usually balanced with a reduced intake of carbohydrates and fats.

The CSIRO Total Well Being Diet is one of the most evidence-based and highly resourced higher protein diets. It is an energy-controlled diet that recommends eating 300 g of animal protein (lean meat, chicken, fish, eggs) along with three serves of bread or cereal per day. To give this some context a more conventional diet, based on the Australian Dietary Guidelines, of the same total energy intake would comprise only 60-100 g of animal protein per day, with more bread or cereal served.17

Screen grab from website. About the Diet: The CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet is designed for maximum body fat loss.

Source: https://www.totalwellbeingdiet.com/au/the-diet/our-diet/about-the-diet/

Research Studies on High Protein Diets

‘CSIRO type’ diets (high protein and low carbohydrate diets) have been reported to yield greater weight loss18, 19 and greater loss of abdominal fat compared to conventional diets, although this has predominantly been shown in the short term.18 High protein diets may also limit the amount of lean muscle mass lost in addition to fat loss20 However a systematic review of 94 weight loss studies found that weight loss was not independently associated with reduced carbohydrate intake21 and most studies have shown that restricted total energy intake rather than macronutrient composition is the key determinant of total weight loss1, 20. Thus programs should be tailored to the dietary preferences of the individual patient.

Resources for Patients and Health Professionals Offering Support

There are a range of great resources on the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet Website that can support patients and practitioners to adopt this type of dietary approach. It is a good one to bookmark. Explore the website

This article is from the free online

EduWeight: Weight Management for Adult Patients with Chronic Disease

Created by
FutureLearn - Learning For Life

Reach your personal and professional goals

Unlock access to hundreds of expert online courses and degrees from top universities and educators to gain accredited qualifications and professional CV-building certificates.

Join over 18 million learners to launch, switch or build upon your career, all at your own pace, across a wide range of topic areas.

Start Learning now