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Do Today's Trendy Diets Really Work?

By Wyatt Myers

They're featured on bookshelves, magazine covers and talk shows—but do today's trendy diets really work? Some of America's top nutrition experts help us find out.

With the exception of celebrities and fashion, few trends come and go quite as quickly as diets these days. From Atkins to Sugar Busters, it seems that every new gimmicky diet gets its moment in the sun—and then quickly fades into obscurity once people give up on it.

The problem is that people are individual, so "one size fits all" diets rarely work. "My motto is that one diet does not fit all!" says Daisy Merey, M.D., Ph.D., author of Don't Be a Slave to What You Crave and The Palm Beach Diet Doctor's Prescription. "Depending on the medical condition, the placement of the fat, the location of the hunger (head or stomach), the emotions that control eating and the foods craved, an individualized approach should be designed."

Of course, some diets are better than others—while Atkins has set sail for many people, Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig continue to be quite popular. To determine which of today's trendy diets have staying power—and which ones should be ditched—we assembled a panel of today's top nutritionists to weigh in on them.

The South Beach Diet
Overview: While it's not low-carb or low-fat, the South Beach Diet focuses on the right carbs and right fats. The diet is broken up into phases, with Phase 1 lasting two weeks and banishing bread, rice, pasta, baked goods, fruit and sweets. In Phase 2, you can bring back fruits and a few other items you really like. Phase 3 occurs when you meet your target weight and is a more liberal version of the plan. The diet features comprehensive recipes and meal plans for all three phases.

What the experts think: Many of the experts we spoke with gave the South Beach Diet passing grades for its carbohydrate control, which is good for diabetics and pre-diabetics. And its emphasis on protein also received positive marks. However, some felt that Phase 1 of the diet was too restrictive, and that focusing on the glycemic index (a measure of how food affects blood sugar) does not necessarily mean the plan will help you lose weight. "While the glycemic index may be beneficial in preventing or controlling diabetes, evidence is not consistent to show that low-glycemic diets are beneficial to weight loss," says Lanah J. Brennan, a registered dietitian with The Sports Club in Los Angeles.

The Abs Diet
Overview: Published by Men's Health, the Abs Diet focuses on foods that will give you a lean, toned midsection—a common insecurity for many men. And those great abs will in turn lead to good health in other parts of your life.

What the experts think: For the most part, our experts were on board with the foods and recipes presented in the Abs Diet. "The 12 'nutrient-dense power-foods' are all healthy foods that are in fact nutrient-dense," says Janet Brill, Ph.D., R.D., author of Cholesterol Down. Their gripe was more with the name Abs Diet itself, as it presents an impossible scenario. "There are no foods that have been scientifically proven to keep your midsection lean," says Brill. "The author also claims that people should stop 'counting calories' for weight loss, but the basis of weight loss is creating a calorie deficit. You don't have to count calories, but you do have to eat less of them and burn more of them to achieve lasting weight loss."

The Blood Type Diets
Overview: Popularized in the book Eat Right 4 Your Type, the concept of "Blood Type Diets" is that people with different blood types should eat different foods. This stems from our ancestry, as different blood types evolved based on whether we were hunters, gatherers, farmers or another member of primitive society. Eating foods that are healthier for your blood type will promote weight loss, prevent disease and inspire an overall greater feeling of well-being.

What the experts think: No diet drew as much criticism among our experts as the Blood Type Diets. "It's not backed up by science, it's inconsistent with sound nutritional advice, and it may lead to inadequate consumption of essential nutrients," says Chardell Buchanan, a registered dietitian in private practice. "Blood types deal with receptors on the red blood cells and have nothing to do with nutrients derived from foods."

Despite all this, a number of people swear by the Blood Type Diets. "Although there's no science behind it, I have seen this be quite successful in patients who have tried everything else," says Fred Pescatore, M.D., a traditionally trained physician practicing nutritional medicine and author of numerous books including, most recently, The Hamptons Diet. "Perhaps it is because it's much less food than they are used to eating."

The 5-Factor Diet
Overview: Harley Pasternak, "trainer to the stars," developed the 5-Factor Diet around five principles: a five-week plan for fast results; five small meals a day that curb hunger and cravings; five-ingredient meals that are simple to make, even when you're on the go; 25-minute workouts that are shorter and easier to accomplish; and five cheat days during the five weeks to prevent breakdowns elsewhere in the plan. The 5-Factor Diet has been used successfully by the likes of Alicia Keys, Eva Mendes and Kanye West.

What the experts think: Claims of celebrity supporters may raise your skepticism, but many of our experts found this to be the most sound of all the diet plans they reviewed. "This is the most complete program and focuses on the most widely recognized metabolic components by health and fitness experts," says Thomas Von Ohlen, a clinical nutritionist and co-author of 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Health. "Eating five to six meals a day is the best way to keep your metabolism revved up, and including short but intense exercise is an important element of weight loss and overall health."

The one weakness many experts pointed out is the inclusion of five "cheat days," which some felt was a recipe for failure. "It's not a good idea to allow people to cheat, as it is hard to go back on the regime once one has faltered," says Merey.

One opinion that was almost universal among the nutrition experts we spoke with was that fad diets are a short-term fix, and it requires an entirely new attitude about diet and fitness to truly create long and lasting weight loss. "There is no magic weight loss bullet that you can buy at the bookstore," says Brill. "The secret to permanent weight loss is not fad dieting, but the age-old recommendation: learning to follow a nutritious, calorie-controlled eating regimen emphasizing portion control, lowered fat consumption, lean protein choices and an increase in vegetables, fruits and whole grains, and combining that style of eating with daily calorie-burning exercise."