Fad diet - simply a weight loss diet that becomes very popular (often quickly) and then

may fall out of favour (sometimes just as quickly); other textbooks, use fad type diets
interchangeably with crash diets, usually nutritionally inadequate.
- severely reduced calorie diet: weight seemingly drops off at substantially
satisfying rate  bodies consume the temporary energy reserve (glycogen) & associated water
 hunger returns  glycogen is restored & water deficit readjusted
- primary determinants of basal metabolic rate is proportion of lean muscle to
fat tissue: muscle burns 30- 50 calories while fat burns 2 calories per day

List of fad Brief description Pros Cons

diets
Acai Berry  has gained extreme  scientific research  there are many reports
Diet popularity since being does support some of of scams with websites
promoted on the Oprah the health claims selling inferior products
Show. made for acai berry. and billing customers
 there isn’t a specific acai  with high for ‘free trials’ of acai
berry diet but rather dieters antioxidants: can berry products.
use acai berry in reduce the risk of  unsubstantiated weight
conjunction any other diseases commonly loss effects of the
weight loss plan they prefer associated with aging berries
to follow. such as  does not encourage
 often paired with a colon cardiovascular disease dieters to make
cleansing product or with and cancer. lifestyle changes 
other nutritional ingredients : beneficial supports the idea of a
that are said to enhance for dieters who are quick fix approach to
weight loss. physically active as weight loss.
they neutralize the  can be expensive.
free radicals that are  cannot be relied on as
produced during the sole factor for
exercise. successful weight loss.
 many dieters have
reported a reduction
in appetite and
greater energy levels.
Atkins  although written in the  very successful for  diet demanding at first
1970s, Atkins Diet many people and has – and need to make
Revolution became a huge resulted in not only significant behaviour
phenomenon only in early significant weight loss modification
2000. – but also health  most controversial
 four phases – all with a improvement issues with Atkins is
carefully controlled level of that it is high-fat diet
carbohydrate intake:  question how healthy
because it upholds that the process of ketosis
sugar causes cancer. This is is: breakdown of fats
used to attract dieters to  risk for heart
Atkins disease
1. Restrictive induction phases  may lead to rapid
lasts for a minimum of two weight fluctuations 
weeks and calls for a maximum adverse affect on heart
of 20 grams of carbohydate  nothing about this plan
intake (no starchy vegetables, encourages dieter to
fruits, grains, bread). learn basic weight
List of fad Brief description Pros Cons
diets
2. Ongoing Weight Loss phase management
involves adding more fibrous strategies like portion
vegetables (carbohydrates) until control and serving
the “Critical Carbohydrate Level sizes or even balanced
for Losing” is reached nutrition
3&4. Maintenance phases –
where carbohydrate intake can
be increased – but only until the
point that weight is maintained
Banana  created by Hitoshi  eating breakfast every  some dieters may not
Diet Watanabe who has studied day increases respond well to a pure
preventative medicine & metabolism & reduce carbohydrate breakfast
wife, Sumiko who is a likelihood of particularly those with
pharmacist overeating later that hypoglycemia.
 Morning Banana Diet was day.  easy for dieters to
promoted on the Japanese  avoiding caffeine at consume excess
social networking site ‘Mixi’ breakfast  more calories if they eat
in March 2008  resulted in stable blood glucose whatever they like for
a nationwide banana levels and reduced lunch and dinner.
shortage appetite.  does not encourage
 eating only bananas and  not eating after 8pm exercise.
drinking room temperature will reduce tendency  does not address
water for breakfast leads to for late night snacking psychological factors
weight loss regardless of on high calorie foods. involved in dieting.
what is consumed for the  avoiding dairy
rest of the day products & dessert
will reduce calories by
limiting fat and sugar
intake.
 bananas are a
nutritious food and
high in fiber, vitamins
B6 C and potassium.
 discourages
overeating.
Cabbage  7 day meal plan, aimed at  fast weight loss.  some complain that the
Soup Diet achieving fast weight loss  change from some of Cabbage Soup a little
 diet is not sustainable but our normally junky too bland.
continues to fall in and out eating habits can be  be prepared for gas…
favor. beneficial, many say  requires will power.
they enjoy eating the  lacks good nutrition
soup  high in salt.
 vegetables from the  not a long-term answer
Brassica family (such
as cabbage, broccoli,
cauliflower) have been
found to aid in
preventing cancer.
Negative  based on a concept with  any diet consisting of  unlikely that any diet
Calorie little science to back it up. large portions of consisting of a certain
Diet  fibrous complex vegetables will aid in group of foods will
List of fad Brief description Pros Cons
diets
carbohydrate diet - green weight loss have any ‘magical’
vegetables are low in properties
calories
 uses TEF  green
vegetables may actually
have some of their calories
burnt up just to digest them
New  there are four stages in the  emphasis on fruits  Ms. Mazel (diet’s
Beverly digestive process: digestion, author) has no health
Hills Diet absorption, metabolism, or nutrition credentials
elimination  opposite is true! if
 maximize your weight loss foods are not properly
utilizing more effective and digested  cannot be
efficient digestion through absorbed
conscious/ cautious
combining
 indigestion = weight gain:
certain types of foods that
are not digested  stored
as glycogen or are turned
into fat for storage in the
tissues of the body.
 better digestion results in:
1. reduction of gas and
bloating
2. optimization of nutrient
absorption
3. increased energy
4. elimination of post-meal
fatigue
5. reduction of weight
Low Fat  very popular during the  modern research is
diet 1980s and 1990s. beginning to show that
 health authorities have been fat in our diet may not
saying that a low fat diet is be the sole culprit for
best: obesity problems
Low Fat – 20-30% of calories
come from fats
Very Low Fat – 0-19% of
calories come from fats.

Low Carb  experienced a huge surge in  the lower the CHO

diet popularity during 2003-2004 ratio – the higher the
- but interest began to fat and protein ratio
decline towards the end of
2004.
 there is considerable
ambiguity over exactly what
is low carbohydrate:
high CHO 50-70%
moderate CHO 40-50%
List of fad Brief description Pros Cons
diets
low CHO 25-39%
very Low CHO 0-25%
 common experts belief is
that any diet less than 50-60%
carb ratio is called a low carb
diet.
 generally lumped with other
diets: atkins, protein power,
south beach diet, zone diet,
fat flush
3 Day diet  many incarnations of 3 day  3 standard meals  weight loss is due to a
diet floating around. provided without sudden drop in
 popular due to the promise snacks calories, but most will
of instant gratification be from water loss
 low calorie diet - nothing
magical nor mystical
chemical reaction
Zone Diet  many consider the Zone diet  good thing about the  it is too complex to
to be a fad diet - however Zone diet is that it follow
this diet continues to remain encourages a  exercise is not part of
popular with many. combination of all the the formula
 follows a formula of 40% nutrients in each meal
carbs, 30% protein, and  stresses the risks of
30% fats (sometimes called processed
40:30:30) carbohydrates (white
pastas and breads etc)
Protein  directive to consume 25 g  provide sound starting  name is misleading. 60
Power fiber daily + maintaining points for weight loss: g CHON is just
low carb diet + 60 g protein physical exam, setting approximate to the
 blame insulin for: HPN, realistic objectives RDA
heart disease, elevated (involves fat  impossible to ↑ fiber +
cholesterol, diabetes percentages and IBW), ↓ CHO: most high fiber
relying on internal foods have significant
perceptions rather amounts of CHO
than bathroom scale,  scientific evidence
keeping food diary, suggests that being
drinking lots of water obese  high insulin
levels. Not the other
way around
South  created by cardiologist Dr  focus on glycemic  more expensive food
Beach Diet Arthur Agatston based at index items included 
Mount Sinai Hospital – in  nutritionally sound: difficult to meet for
South Florida principles of eating in some (unfortunately
 book ‘The South Beach Diet: balance, little-and- good nutritious foods
The Delicious, Doctor- often, low-GI carbs are do tend to cost more
Designed, Foolproof Plan for all included in the than their highly-
Fast and Healthy Weight South Beach processed
Loss’ has remained a  had a major positive counterparts)
bestseller (despite a impact on the eating
pretentious subtitle) habits of millions 
 continues to be one of the unfairly classified as
List of fad Brief description Pros Cons
diets
biggest selling diet books of fad diet
all time  enthusiasm for
the diet has not yet faded
(it may be unfair to call this
a fad)
 3 phases:
1. Induction phase -
generally producing
weight loss of 8 to 13
pounds
- most
carbohydrates (such as rice,
pasta, and breads) must be
avoided
- for 14
days: three meals a day and
snacks — eating until your
hunger is satisfied (meats,
shellfish, chicken, turkey, and
fish are all on the menu – along
with nuts, cheese (fat-free),
eggs, salads, and vegetables)
2. Second phase – some
foods avoided in phase
1 are reintroduced
sparingly
- 1-2 lbs
per week weight loss
3. Third phase - about
living the lifestyle more
than a phase
– it’s about
eating healthy foods,
and maintaining weight.

Tapeworm  ingesting tapeworms in  weight loss is very  extremely dangerous

Diet order to lose weight is not likely.  cause unpleasant
only a radical method but  some scientists believe side effects (swollen
also an extremely that tapeworms can stomach) and in some
dangerous one. also help to alleviate cases can be lethal.
 it is not possible to attempt allergies such as hay  does not appear to be
the Tapeworm diet in most fever adequate protection
countries, it is being offered for consumers in
at some places in Mexico regard to regulation
 given beef tapeworm cysts and safety analysis.
that have been identified  parasite also competes
microscopically this is for vitamins and other
vitally important because important nutrients 
some cows may host pig may result in a
tapeworms, which are very nutritional deficiency
List of fad Brief description Pros Cons
diets
dangerous  rebound weight gain is
 tapeworm: interferes with most likely once the
digestion & absorption of tapeworm is expelled.
nutrients  consume more  not available in most
calories & still lose weight countries  treatment
is expensive and will
also need to include
travel expenses