Fad Diets: Do they work?

Key Takeaways

• Many fad diets promise quick results but are often based on limited scientific evidence.

• Fad diets can be overly restrictive (e.g. cutting out entire food groups) and unsustainable, leading to the risk of nutrient deficiency and poorer health outcomes.

If you have ever tried to lose weight, you have probably come across many diets that claim to be effective, such as the keto diet, Atkins diet, and the detox diet. With so many diet options, how do you know which is right for you? And importantly, do these diets actually work or are they just a passing fad?

What are fad diets?

Fad diets are attractive because they seem simple to follow and promise fast results. You often read many testimonials of people who have had success with these diets. However, many lack backing scientific evidence and often cut out entire food groups which could cause nutrient deficiencies.

Many fad diets are also restrictive and unsustainable in the long term, resulting in short-lived results, increased frustration, and poorer health outcomes.

In this article, we explore various diets and what the research says about them.  

Popular Fad Diets

Keto Diet

The keto (or ketogenic) diet restricts carbohydrates to 5-10% of total calorie intake, and recommends a moderate protein and high fat intake. For most people, the carbohydrate limit would equate to less than a bowl of rice for the entire day.

Carbohydrate is converted to glucose after consumption and is our body’s preferred source of energy. The rationale of the ketogenic diet is that by limiting carbohydrate intake, glucose stores are depleted and the body shifts to burning fat stores for energy instead.

What research says:

Studies have found that the ketogenic diet can help with weight loss but there is increased risk of raised blood cholesterol levels and heart disease. The keto diet is also restrictive and can be difficult to sustain for some.

Atkins Diet

Similar to the keto diet, the Atkins diet is a low carbohydrate diet that restricts many higher carbohydrate food groups like fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, beans, and legumes, all of which provide various nutrients needed to maintain good health.

The main difference with the keto diet is that the Atkins diet has different phases, where carbohydrate intake is gradually increased, although carbohydrate intake is still controlled during the maintenance phase (less than 100g/day).

What research says:

The Atkins diet can help with weight loss, however the restriction of many fiber-rich food groups can lead to constipation. There is also risk of vitamin and mineral deficiency from the restrictive diet.

Paleo Diet

The paleo diet is also commonly referred to as the cavemen diet. It emphasizes whole foods like lean meat, eggs, non-starchy vegetables and fruits but limits dairy products, legumes, wholegrains, and processed foods.

What research says:

The paleo diet can help with weight loss and improving blood cholesterol and blood glucose levels in the short term. More long-term studies are needed to establish the long-term impact of this diet. Furthermore, limiting dairy products, wholegrains, and legumes may result in certain nutrient deficiencies like calcium and B vitamins.

Gluten-Free Diet

The gluten-free diet has become popular in recent years but it was created for the purpose of managing celiac disease. In celiac disease, the body initiates an immune response that damages the small intestine after the consumption of gluten.

What the research says:

There is no evidence that consuming a gluten-free diet helps with weight loss. Many gluten-free products are highly processed and a lower diet quality was seen in those consuming a gluten-free diet, which could have long-term health consequences.

Cleanse/Detox Diet

Detox, or cleansing diets are usually short-term and claim to help remove toxins from the body and promote overall health and well-being. They are restrictive and sometimes involve consuming only certain foods or liquids that are proposed to help the detoxification process.

What research says:

Short-term weight loss is seen due to the extremely low calorie intake with detox diets, however weight regain usually happens once normal diet is resumed. More research is needed to define the mechanism of detoxification and justify the use of detox diets.

Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is characterized by a high intake of plant foods (fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, beans, grains), a high intake of olive oil (used as the main source of fat), a moderate intake of dairy products, a low to moderate intake of fish and poultry, a low intake of red meat, and wine in moderation, consumed with meals. 

What research says:

The Mediterranean diet is a healthful way of eating that reduces risk of obesity and other chronic diseases (heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes). It also reduces risk of neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease.

Common signs of a fad diet

Not all “fad” diets are unhealthy or ineffective. The Mediterranean diet has shown to be a healthy diet that can be adopted, people with diabetes may find that being on a lower carbohydrate diet allows better management of their blood glucose levels, and intermittent fasting (you can read more about it here) can be a sustainable and healthy way of eating for some people.

While most fad diets seem to be promising by the way they are marketed, there are some tell-tale signs you can look out for. These include:

• promising quick results with little effort

• cutting out entire food groups (e.g. wholegrains, fruit)

• “one size fits all” meal plan

• requiring expensive shakes, supplements, or pills

• using mainly testimonials to show effectiveness of diet 

Losing weight through a holistic approach

Our diet plays a big part in managing our weight – if we consume less calories than we burn, we lose weight, and vice versa. All weight loss diets aim to restrict calories in some way to achieve weight loss, but not every diet recommends a solution that is healthy or sustainable.

There is no one diet that will work for everyone since our bodies are different, and we have different preferences and lifestyle. It is also important to ensure that you are obtaining sufficient nutrients for long term health while trying to lose weight. Whatever diet you adopt should be one you feel good on and can sustain for the long-term.

With weight management, exercise is also an important factor to consider. Exercising helps you burn extra calories, and importantly helps with maintaining lean muscle mass which is crucial for keeping up your metabolism and maintaining long term health and function.

Work with your healthcare team to find a plan that fits your lifestyle and health goals.

Learn more about NOVI Optimum. With NOVI Optimum, you will get personalized nutrition and fitness plans and continuous digital support to help you achieve sustainable results.