10 Popular Diets to follow for Weight loss in 2024 - Ms Rutu Dhodapkar

Obesity is a worldwide, multifactorial disease defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a health risk. The disease is associated with many chronic morbidities such as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease.

To get rid of obesity, a person has to lose weight. When I talk about weight loss, it is not just about losing your fat, but also being yourself and making your lifestyle healthy. So let's see some of the most popular weight loss diets to try this year.

1. Mediterranean Diet: It is one of the most studied and well-known dietary patterns which has a wide range of benefits. The term Mediterranean diet is used to describe the traditional dietary pattern of the people residing in the Mediterranean basin. It is rich in fibre, antioxidants, phytochemicals, and vitamins and poor in refined sugars and saturated fats.

It mainly consists of plant foods such as fruits, and vegetables, either as main or side dish, cereals, including bread, legumes, nuts and seeds.

Olive oil is the principal source of fat. It also includes moderate amounts of dairy products, low to moderate amounts of fish and poultry and red meat in low amounts.

In a recent study, 565 adults were taken as a sample, and it concluded a potential beneficial effect of this plant-based dietary pattern in long-term obesity management as well as for weight loss maintenance.

2. Ketogenic Diet: The most popular diet to lose weight rapidly with high fats, moderate protein and very low carbohydrates which aims at producing ketones in body circulation.

In a recent study, ketogenic diet showed a remarkable benefit on body weight and glycaemic control, as well as improvement of lipid profiles in overweight T2DM patients.

*This diet should not be followed on a long-term basis. Biomedical Parameters to be monitored.

3. Intermittent Fasting: It is a diet in which individuals consume little to no food for a particular period, followed by a period of normal food intake. It includes alternate-day fasting, periodic fasting, the 5:2 diet and daily time-restricted eating.

In recent studies, IF has shown positive effects on individuals, but for long-term weight loss maintenance, more studies are required.

*This diet should not be followed on a long-term basis. Biomedical Parameters to be monitored.

4. Paleo Diet: A PD diet is the Old Stone Age Era food pattern. It focuses on consuming grass-produced meats, seafood, fresh fruits, eggs, non-starchy vegetables, nuts and seeds. The diet excludes legumes, whole grains, dairy products and starchy vegetables.

Studies say If monitored properly, the diet may lead to significant weight loss and major improvements in health.

5. Dash Diet: Its full form is Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It has a significant result in weight loss also. It includes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, fat-free or low-fat dairy, seeds and vegetable oil.

In recent research, weight loss combined with the DASH diet led to even higher reductions in blood pressure, improvements in vascular and autonomic function, and a decrease in left ventricular mass in overweight and obese individuals with high blood pressure.

6. Vegan Diet: This diet consists only of plant-based foods i.e. fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains. It excludes eggs, animal and dairy products. As plant-based foods have low calories, they help in maintaining a healthy weight, thus preventing obesity. However, it should be planned to meet all requirements of the body (ex-proteins, vitamin B12, carnosine and creatine).

7. Atkins Diet: It is a low-carb diet consisting of limited carbohydrates proposed by Robert Atkin. The four basic principles are weight loss, weight maintenance, good health, and disease prevention.

*Studies have shown that individuals have shredded excess weight and can reduce or even reverse risk factors for heart disease and diabetes.

8. Weight Watchers Diet: It is a commercial program for weight loss based on a point system, meal replacement and counselling. It encourages healthy eating habits.

9. Raw Food Diet: It involves eating mainly unprocessed whole, plant-based foods. It helps in weight loss and has other benefits also. Weight Loss is not usually the main aim of the raw food diet but switching to raw food can lead to weight loss.

10. Nutrigenomics Diet: It is a diet which it involves genes and nutrient interaction. Nutrigenomics is a study of how food affects a person's genes and how a person's genes affect the way the body responds to food. It promotes weight loss but requires a DNA test and proper guidance.

Every diet has its pros and cons. It depends on a person's condition and tolerance level on which diet will be suited for him/her. All diets need proper guidance and assistance.