No Proof That 'Blood-Type' Diets Work: Study

Matching food choices to your blood type won't make you healthier, research suggests

MONDAY, Jan. 20, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The so-called "blood-type diet" may be trendy, but there's no scientific evidence to support it, a new study says.

The popular diet is based on the theory that a person's nutritional needs vary by blood type. Proponents of the diet claim that eating a diet matched to a person's specific blood type can improve health and reduce the risk of chronic health problems such as cardiovascular disease.

University of Toronto researchers looked at 1,455 people and found no proof to support the blood-type diet theory.

"The way an individual responds to any one of these diets has absolutely nothing to do with their blood type and has everything to do with their ability to stick to a sensible vegetarian or low-carbohydrate diet," study senior author Dr. Ahmed El-Sohemy, an associate professor and holder of a research chair in nutrigenomics, said in a university news release.

The study of mostly young adults was published Jan. 15 in the journal PLoS One.

Last year, a review published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found no evidence to support the blood-type diet and called for scientific studies to examine the diet, the news release pointed out.

More information

The American Heart Association offers no-fad diet tips.

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