In the US, about 41 percent of the population is overweight or obese; and about 20 percent of Americans are on a diet in a bid to lose that weight or keep their trim figure.
Long before the advent of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, people turned to strict diets to drop pounds, and dieting in the Western world, specifically focused on weight loss and physique change, began to gain traction in the 19th century, notably with William Banting’s influential 1863 diet guide.
Banting, who was a funeral director living in London during the mid-19th century, claimed to have lost 52 pounds and more than 13 inches from his waist in one year by adhering to a low-carb diet after three decades of struggling with his weight.
By 1862, at the age of 64, Banting was obese – weighing 202lbs at 5ft 5in with a BMI of 33.6 – so he decided to give up bread, butter, milk, sugar, beer and potatoes and live on mainly animal protein, fruit and non-starchy vegetables.
Astounded by the results, he printed his weight loss secrets in a booklet titled ‘Letter On Corpulence, Addressed To The Public,’ which is considered one of the first diet guides.
However, the idea of controlling diet for health purposes has ancient roots, appearing in Ancient Greece and through religious fasting.
The 20th century further popularized dieting as a health and beauty craze, particularly the aesthetic ideal of thinness that emerged in the early 1900s, leading to the creation of the diet culture we know today. And with the accessibility of ingredients and products easier than ever, the variety of diets is vast.
Here DailyMail.com speaks to a number of health experts to get their verdicts on the best and worst diets launched over the past century and the old reliable that has stood the test of time. Surprisingly, none of the diets mention calorie counting, and instead the experts focus on the content and quality of foods.
Dieting in the Western world, specifically focused on weight loss and physique change, began to gain traction in the 19th century, notably with William Banting’s influential 1863 diet guide
Obesity rates by state in the US as of 2023 – the latest data available
THE WORST
JUICE CLEANSES: 1/10
While juice cleanses have become all the rage over the past decade or so after gaining mainstream popularity in the 1990s and 2000s, many health experts are less excited about the concept.
Unlike other diets, a juice cleanse is a temporary dietary regimen that involves consuming only fruit and vegetable juices for a predetermined period, typically ranging from a few days to a week.
It is often promoted as a way to detoxify the body, lose weight, and improve overall health.
New York-based personal trainer Natalie Alex told this website: ‘More recently overly restrictive “detoxes” or juice cleanses often promise quick fixes but leave people depleted, with results that rarely last.
‘These fads tend to ignore balance and sustainability, which is why people so often rebound after them.’
Similarly, New York dermatologist Dr Michele Green isn’t a fan of juice cleanses and she gives them just a one out of 10.
Unlike other diets, a juice cleanse is a temporary dietary regimen that involves consuming only fruit and vegetable juices for a predetermined period, typically ranging from a few days to a week
She added: ‘Detox diets, including juice cleanses and liquid cleanses, are also not sustainable and often do not provide enough daily nutrients.
‘These extreme diets lack scientific support. Additionally, the body is equipped with mechanisms and organs that effectively flush out potential toxins without the need for detox diets.’
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health also warns of the dangers of juice cleanses, with some of the side effects including ‘dangerous electrolyte imbalances’, headaches, fainting, weakness, and dehydration.
THE KETO DIET: 2/10
Many health experts Daily Mail spoke to rated the keto diet as one of the worst eating regimens from the past century.
The diet was first introduced in the 1920s as a treatment for epilepsy by Dr Russell Wilder at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.
It was designed to mimic the effects of fasting by drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and increasing fat consumption. This helps to manage epilepsy by inducing a metabolic state called ketosis, when the body burns fat energy instead of glucose.
Ketosis has been shown to have an anti-seizure effect in people with epilepsy, though the mechanism behind the connection is not fully understood. It could be a change in brain chemistry, change in neuronal activity or improvement in cell function.
The diet encourages followers to eat butter, avocado, coconut, bacon, cream, cheese and some nuts but avoid grains, milk, yogurt, most fruits, legumes, potatoes and many vegetables.
The Keto diet encourages the consumption of meats, butter and cheese
According to the Dietitian’s Association of Australia, keto diet isn’t recommended for the general population as the long-term efficacy and safety of the diet are unknown, having only been studied in the short-term.
Sophie Scott, who is a nutritionist based out of Australia, gave the keto diet a two out of 10 in terms of its effectiveness.
She told this website: ‘Keto forces the body to use fat (or more specifically, ketones) as the main fuel source instead of glucose.
‘Carbohydrates are severely restricted to around 50g per day (equivalent to two slices of bread and a banana) and fat constitutes 70 percent of this diet.’
The American Heart Association also does not recommend the diet for long-term success.
Experts from the organization explain: ‘In studies up to six months long, improvements in body weight and blood sugar have been shown with these diets. However, after a year, most improvements were no different from the results of a less restrictive diet.
‘Restrictions on fruits, whole grains and legumes may result in reduced fiber intake. Additionally, these diets are high in fat without limiting saturated fat.
‘Consuming high levels of saturated fat and low levels of fiber are both linked to the development of cardiovascular disease.’
SOUTH BEACH DIET: 3/10
The South Beach Diet focuses on eliminating refined carbs and prioritizing healthy fats like olive oil
The South Beach Diet was developed in the mid-1990s by Dr Arthur Agatston, a cardiologist, to help his patients with heart disease and diabetes.
It gained widespread popularity in 2003 with the release of his best-selling book, The South Beach Diet, which explained the diet’s principles for weight loss and improved health.
The diet focuses on eliminating refined carbs and prioritizing healthy fats like olive oil. However, the experts warn that like keto, it can be restrictive and for this reason, they give it a three out of 10.
The first phase, which lasts for 14 days, involves eating three meals and two snacks daily, mainly protein and non-starchy vegetables.
After that, participants add small amounts of whole grains and fruits, as well as small amounts of alcohol. This phase lasts as long as it takes you to reach your goal weight.
In the final phase, no food is off limits, but participants pay strict attention to serving sizes.
The South Beach Diet says that you’ll lose 8lbs to 13lbs during phase one, with most of the weight coming from your midsection. In phase two, it says that you’ll likely lose 1lb to 2lbs per week.
There is no research suggesting that the South Beach diet leads to long-term weight loss.
Sharon Palmer, a dietitian at the Plant-Powered Dietitian, said: ‘This diet would be hard to follow in the context of cultural diets, and it reinforces diet culture. I would not recommend this diet overall for weight loss.’
THE BEST
THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET: 9/10
The Mediterranean diet is rich in fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, legumes and olive oil, and features moderate amounts of fish and poultry – and the occasional glass of red wine
Long touted by health experts as the secret to a lengthy, healthy life, the Mediterranean diet has been crowned one of the healthiest nutritional plans for promoting an approach to healthy eating.
The concept of the Mediterranean diet was first coined in the 1960s by American biologist Ancel Keys, but its origins trace back to ancient times.
It’s rich in fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, legumes and olive oil, and features moderate amounts of fish and poultry – and the occasional glass of red wine.
The diet eliminates added sugars, refined grains like white breads and pasta, trans fats like in margarine, canola oil and processed meat.
Nutritionist Sophie Scott told Daily Mail: ‘The diet is a 10 out of 10 because it is more of an eating pattern, rather than a prescriptive diet, which makes it easier to follow consistently than other more restrictive diets.’
She referenced a research paper that found the diet consistently performs well in relation to weight loss, reduction in cardiovascular disease and reduction of depression.
The PREDIMED study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2013, showed the Mediterranean diet group had a third less heart disease, diabetes and stroke than the low-fat group. They also lost a little weight and had less memory loss.
‘The benefits can’t be narrowed down to one single food or factor but to some general themes,’ she said.
‘Extra fiber, a diverse range of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes, yoghurts and cheese, small amounts of fish and meat, red wine, nuts and seeds and good quality olive oil all played their part.
‘However, the authors believe that the olive oil itself was the most powerful single factor.’
Fitness expert Natalie Alex is also a fan of the Mediterranean diet, as she says it is less of a fad and more of a lifestyle. She gives it a nine out of 10.
She explained: ‘It supports both long-term health and enjoyment of food, which is key.
‘And on the fitness front, the shift toward higher-protein, strength-supporting nutrition in recent years has been beneficial for people looking to maintain lean mass and metabolic health.’
Harvard researchers found that people who followed the DASH diet for 30 years had a 14 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease and strokes
THE DASH DIET: 8.5/10
Beloved by many health experts, the DASH diet was introduced in 1997 by NIH-supported research teams and it was designed to reduce high blood pressure.
Studies have since shown that the DASH diet can have positive effects on cardiovascular health and may have other health benefits.
The eating plan encourages eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products.
It favors lean sources of protein, like beans and lean meats, and suggests limiting saturated fats and sugar-sweetened food and drinks.
Experts at the American Heart Association rate this diet at 8.5 out of 10.
They explain: ‘The DASH-style eating pattern received a perfect score by meeting all of the Association’s guidance. These eating patterns are low in salt, added sugar, alcohol, tropical oils and processed foods, and rich in non-starchy vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes.
‘Protein tends to be mostly from plant sources (such as legumes, beans or nuts), along with fish or seafood, lean poultry and meats, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products.’
Harvard researchers found that people who followed the diet for 30 years had a 14 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease and strokes compared to people on a standard diet.
New York cosmetic dermatologist Dr Michele Green says the DASH diet is also ‘excellent’ for the skin, as it limits processed sugar and unhealthy fats.
‘You really notice a glow on this plan,’ she adds.
WEIGHT WATCHERS: 7/10
Popularized by dozens of celebrities, from Oprah Winfrey to Kate Hudson, Weight Watchers doesn’t involve counting calories. Instead, foods are assigned a certain amount of points based on their nutrients
At the top of the diet list with many health experts is the old American favorite diet, Weight Watchers. It got a seven out of 10 overall.
Introduced in 1963 by Jean Nidetch in New York, it started as a small social support group for friends to lose weight together and today it has more than 3.4 million subscribers.
Popularized by dozens of celebrities, from Oprah Winfrey to Kate Hudson, Weight Watchers doesn’t involve counting calories.
Instead, foods are assigned a certain amount of points based on their nutrients, such as fiber, added sugars, protein, and fat.
Foods with more unhealthy nutrients like added sugars and fat, and too little of vital compounds like fiber, are assigned more points. Dieters are allotted a specific amount of points to use daily and weekly.
Doug Cook, a registered dietitian in Toronto, told US News and World Report: ‘Weight Watchers helps people to understand balance in so far that no food is off limits, helping it to be sustainable in the long run. It focuses on wholesome foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, etc.’
A study published in the BMJ involving 740 overweight or obese participants found that those who used Weight Watchers lost the most weight compared to those on other diets, dropping an average of 9.8lbs after 12 weeks.
Additionally, in a review of 45 studies, researchers found that after 12 months of Weight Watchers, members lost 2.6 percent more weight than those who received no weight loss guidance or education.
THE OLD RELIABLE – 10/10
Instead of a fad diet or brand, the experts say having a grasp of what eating well looks like is of utmost importance and maintaining a healthy balance
When quizzed about which diet has stood the test of time as the ‘old reliable,’ the health experts revealed a surprising answer: ‘just a balanced diet.’
Instead of a fad diet or costly branded products, they say having a grasp of what eating well looks like is of utmost importance when it comes to keeping in shape.
Los Angeles-based Dr Raj Dasgupta told this website: ‘The one approach that never goes out of style is eating a variety of real, unprocessed foods, watching portions, and moving your body.
‘It’s not flashy, but it’s reliable and backed by decades of solid research.’
He recommends stocking up on plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats while limiting ultra-processed foods and added sugars.
Dr Michele Green says from her own experience too, a diet in moderation is the one that has always worked best for her. She says eliminating certain food groups can often lead to people giving up and creating an unhealthy relationship with food.
She adds: ‘While I think it is important to reduce the consumption of sugary foods, sweets do not need to be cut out completely and can be consumed in moderation.’
Meanwhile, fitness trainer Natalie Alex concludes: ‘Looking ahead, I think we’ll see less focus on rigid diets and more emphasis on personalized nutrition plans built around someone’s lifestyle, preferences, and health needs, instead of strict rules that are hard to follow long-term.’
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .