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Fad Diets
Not a day goes by that we don’t hear about a new diet that promises fast
and effective weight loss—and it can be hard to keep track of all the
conflicting and/or new research. More importantly, it is tough to determine
which weight loss diets are health-promoting and effective over time.
Did You Know?
• Only 5% of individuals
who go on a ‘diet’ keep off
the weight that they lose.
• It is far more beneficial to
lose and maintain weight
by establishing and
enjoying a healthy diet—
along with some form of
regular physical activity—
year-round!
The term diet refers to a set of foods and drinks that are commonly
consumed—whether intentionally (such as for managing diabetes or high
blood pressure) or unintentionally (such as personal or family favorites or
in response to seasonal availability). In contrast, a fad diet is a very
specific set of foods and/or drinks that are designed to be consumed
together in pre-determined quantities in order to aid in fast (but usually
unsustainable) weight loss. Most fad diets are generally unhealthy and
temporarily popular.
What is a fad diet?
Many fad diets recommend severely restricting calories or eliminating
entire food groups in order to induce quick weight loss. Cleanses, juice
diets, or detoxification diets are all types of fad diets. The Atkins Diet,
South Beach Diet, and Paleo Diet are all examples of fad diets that have
been popular at one point in time.
Fad diets are usually not the best option.
The decision to follow a fad diet is often done without the support or
recommendation of a medical professional, and many times is an
unhealthy practice. Although many fad diets promise quick weight loss,
most are not recommended for long-term use and do not promote a
healthful lifestyle. While many individuals lose weight initially on fad diets,
the weight is often easily regained and accompanied by new or worsened
nutritional deficiencies.
August 2016
Stick to healthy eating.
Proven and effective weight-loss techniques involve following a healthy
eating pattern or lifestyle with a goal of long-term weight maintenance
and lowered risk for chronic disease. For example, a healthy eating
pattern known as the DASH Diet (aka the DASH Eating Plan) does not
involve calorie restriction. Instead, it encourages the consumption of
fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean meat.
For more information, see the handout The DASH Eating Plan.
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© 2016 Colorado State University
CSU Extension | Kendall Anderson Nutrition Center | Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition