A Registered Dietitian’s Take on Fad Diets

Kara McConnell, a registered dietitian, currently holds the role of Northeast Regional Sales Manager at Fuchs. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Villanova University and a Master’s of Science degree in Nutrition and Food Studies from NYU.

The keto diet, the paleo diet and intermittent fasting are some of the most popular fad diets of the past decade. Why are some fad diets so popular, and why do people choose to follow them? Most individuals want a quick solution for weight loss, and fad diets offer that short-term option. Long-term healthy diet plans, however, guarantee long term weight loss. I, like most Registered Dietitians, believe that the right approach to weight loss and being healthy is to change your lifestyle, permanently. What we should be asking is, if it helps you to lose weight, is it sustainable and will it help to prevent disease and prolong a healthy life? Most fad diets are not sustainable and do not aid in helping people to live longer. Let’s take a closer look at some of the trending diets that consumers are trying out these days.

The ketogenic diet (or keto diet, for short) has received lots of buzz in the past couple of years – so much so that many brands have been launching new keto-friendly products. The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that was originally used to help reduce seizures in children with epilepsy. The diet restricts carbohydrates to less than 5 percent of energy intake. As the body’s preferred source of energy, the reduction of carbohydrates puts the body into a metabolic state called ketosis. Ketosis is when the body starts breaking down stored fat into molecules called ketone bodies to use for energy. Once the body reaches ketosis, most cells will use ketone bodies to generate energy until you start eating carbohydrates again. Because of its highly restrictive nature, it is difficult to meet nutritional needs and the long-term health consequences are not well understood.

The paleo diet has also been growing in popularity for several years, and, like the keto diet, has garnered the attention of food companies to the point that they’ve been marketing paleo-friendly foods and menu items to consumers. The paleo diet is a dietary plan based on foods similar to what might have been eaten during the Paleolithic era, which dates from approximately 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago. The diet includes lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds — foods that in the past could be obtained by hunting and gathering. A paleo diet limits foods that became common when farming emerged about 10,000 years ago. These foods include dairy products, legumes and grains. The elimination of these food groups may not be a nutritious choice for all people. Though it’s still possible for you to meet your nutritional needs without these foods, it’s more challenging to do so. It can also be expensive and cause decreased energy levels due to the lack of grains.

Among the latest fad diets is intermittent fasting, which severely limits calories during certain days of the week or during specified hours during the day. The theory is that intermittent fasting will help decrease appetite by slowing the body’s metabolism to achieve weight loss. As the newest fad diet, the research studies so far, evaluating intermittent fasting have been relatively short and have enrolled only a limited number of participants. Many participants do not make it through the study due to very high dropout rates. Nonetheless, an increasing number of consumers have been testing out intermittent fasting with the hopes of losing weight.

When analyzing a particular trending diet, from a Registered Dietitian’s perspective, you must ask, “Is it sustainable and will it help to prevent disease and prolong a healthy life?” My paternal grandmother just turned 101 years old, my maternal grandfather lived until 99 and my maternal grandmother lived until 94. People often ask me, “How did they stay healthy and live so long?” My answer is always that they ate well and stayed active. They always had their own gardens, cooked their own balanced meals, and walked everywhere. Being Italian, they did drink their wine and have cake too, but they did so in moderation. Yes, genes play a role, but your diet is what fuels your body, providing the basis for growth, cellular repair, strong bones and a strong immune system. Healthy eating is easily achievable by staying on track and focusing on healthy, whole foods, fresh ingredients, and not depriving yourself of some treats every now and then.

Read Kara’s perspective on health & wellness claims here.