Recently, four of the world’s leading health organizations outlined the optimal diet for controlling weight and reducing the risk of major chronic diseases like heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. Drawing on the latest scientific research, expert committees formed by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, and the United States Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services determined that the healthiest, most effective diet for fighting the obesity epidemic and building long-term health is a diet that is:

1. Very high in natural, fiber-rich carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans;
2. Low in fat and cholesterol, and very low in saturated fats and trans fatty acids;
3. Low in sodium;
4. Low in calorie-dense foods, such as refined grains, oils, and fat- and sugar-rich foods; and
5. Moderate in lean protein.

The expert panels also recommended exercise, optimally 60 minutes daily. The chart below shows how various diet plans meet these criteria. The healthiest, most effective diets are those with the most heart symbols.

The recommendations of the expert committee appointed by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services served as the basis of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005.

How Do the Popular Diets Rate? Click Here to View the Chart.
Atkins - Jenny Craig - Mediterranean - Pritikin - South Beach - Weight Watchers - Zone

SOURCES

2005 Dietary Guidelines For Americans. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are the cornerstone of federal nutrition policy and nutrition education activities. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) released on January 12, 2005, the sixth edition of Nutrition and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for Americans. (www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines)

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines are based on a scientific review by a panel of 13 nutrition scientists, who examined thousands of studies on the effects of food and health and presented their report to USDA and HHS in August 2004, entitled Report of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005. (www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/report)

Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases: Report of a Joint World Health Organization/Food and Agricultural Organization Expert Consultation, released on March 3, 2003, on Geneva, Switzerland, based on a scientific review of thousands of studies by a committee of 30 internationally acclaimed nutrition scientists. (www.who.int/nut/documents/trs_916.pdf)

Placement of heart symbols in chart was based on nutrition reviews of various diets prepared by the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University. (www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/nutrition/fact-sheets.html)

Also referenced: Three-day nutrition analysis of three diets - Atkins, South Beach, and Pritikin - prepared by registered dietitians at the Pritikin Longevity Center. Analysis of Atkins and South Beach diets was based on information in Atkins and South Beach diet books. Analysis of Pritikin diet was based on current (2004/2005) menu served at the Pritikin Longevity Center in Aventura, Florida.

*While the Pritikin diet is somewhat lower in fat (10 to 20% calories from fat), research specifically cited by the 2005 Dietary Guidelines Committee and co-authored by Dr. Janet King, chair of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines Committee, concluded specifically that the Pritikin diet will not result in deficiencies in vitamins or essential fats and is in fact “nutritionally adequate.” (Obesity Research, 2001, 9, Suppl 1: 1S.) Numerous studies have found that populations who follow a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and low in fat (10 to 20% of calories) have the lowest rates of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity in the world.