Rating the Diets

Rating the Diets Based on USDA 2005 Dietary Guidelines and WHO Recommendations

	Atkins	Jenny Craig	Mediterranean	Pritikin	South Beach	Weight Watchers	Zone
Very High in Fruits and Vegetables
USDA: At least 9 servings daily.
WHO: At least 5 servings daily.
Very High in Fiber-Rich Whole Grains and Beans
USDA: At least 3 servings of whole grains daily.
WHO: At least 25 grams of dietary fiber daily.
Low in Total Fat and Cholesterol; Very Low in Saturated and Trans Fat
USDA: 20 to 35% of calories* from fat (less than 10% from saturated fats and optimally no trans fats); less than 300mg/day of cholesterol.
WHO: 15 to 30% of calories from fat.
Low in Sodium
USDA: Less than 2,300mg daily.
WHO: Less than 2,000mg daily.
Low in Calorie-Dense Foods Like Refined Grains, Oils, and Fat- and Sugar-Rich Foods
USDA: Choose foods that allow you to eat larger portions for fewer calories, like fruits and vegetables.
WHO: Calorie-dense foods like butter, oils, fried foods, and sugars promote weight gain.
Moderate in Lean Protein
USDA: Choose lean protein like fish, nonfat dairy, and beans.
WHO: Eat 1 to 2 servings of seafood weekly.
Regular Exercise, Optimally 60 Minutes on Most Days
USDA: 60 minutes most days of the week.
WHO: 60 minutes most days of the week.