There are some disadvantages to the Mediterranean diet:

• Heavy reliance on carbohydrates, although they are complex carbohydrates with a low GI
• Can cause weight gain in some peopl, who are not used to eating so many carbohydrates
• May require a complete diet overhaul to start this diet, which can be difficult for some people
• Lots of planning to prepare and create meals for this diet
• Fish can be more expensive to buy than cheaper cuts of meat

Popularity: 22% [?]

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There are a number of disadvantages to the Sugar Busters diet:

• Eliminates some valuable minerals and nutrients from the diet
• Restricts some fruit and vegetables, which are essentially healthy
• Not suitable for vegetarians
• High in saturated fats which may be unhealthy in the longer term
• Potential for health risks to people on this diet long term
• Diet may be difficult to maintain over the longer term
• This diet has not yet been tested over the long term
• Weight lost initially is mainly due to water / fluid loss
• Expect fatigue, weakness and irritability at the start of the diet

“People with impaired kidney function or any other health condition should consult their doctor before trying this or any other diet”

REFERENCES

1. This diet is low in many essential nutrients, such as vitamin D, vitamin E, calcium and iron, plus it is also low in phytonutrients (such as antioxidants) which are essential to fight free radicals
2. There are no real options for vegetarians on this diet, who will need to go to a registered dietician to modify the diet for their dietary requirements (but then the diet they now have is effectively no longer the same)
3. Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). Report: Analysis of Health Problems Associated with High-Protein, High-Fat, Carbohydrate-Restricted Diets Reported via an Online Registry, 25 May 2004. Accessed on 10 January 2008. The author of the PCRM report notes that while low carbohydrate diets do show “modest short-term weight loss”, there have been no studies on the long term health effects of these diets. The report goes on to discuss the negative health impacts of high fat (especially high saturated fat) diets
4. It may be difficult to maintain the Sugar Busters diet over the longer term, due to its restriction on all high GI foods, not just junk food (sweets, processed foods) but also higher GI natural foods (fruit, bread, grains)
5. National Institutes of Health – ClinicalTrials.gov. Effectiveness of a Low Carbohydrate Diet Versus a High Carbohydrate Diet in Promoting Weight Loss and Improved Health. Ongoing clinical trial from April 2005 – June 2009 with 240 participants. This study will look at the effects of a low carbohydrate diet versus a high carbohydrate diet on weight loss over a longer period (of four years). The study also aims to measure the risk of cardiovascular disease (blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as blood pressure levels), bone health, kidney function and endocrine (insulin and glucose in particular) mechanisms over the course of the study in both groups. The sponsor of this clinical trial is the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
6. Astrup A, Meinert Larsen T, Harper A. Atkins and other low-carbohydrate diets: hoax or an effective tool for weight loss? The Lancet, 2004; 364:897-899. Accessed on 10 January 2008. This study confirms that most of the initial weight loss is due to fluid loss and it should be cautioned that this could potentially cause an electrolyte imbalance in the body which needs to be monitored
7. A drastic cut in calories, plus a drastic lowering of blood sugar levels by no longer eating high GI carbohydrates means that fatigue, weakness and irritability will be the outcome, especially for the first week or so (it is different for everyone), while the body adjusts to the diet

Popularity: 7% [?]

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There are a number of disadvantages to the South Beach diet:

• Requires dedication and commitment to ensure weight loss
• First phase can be very difficult for many people
• Weakness and lethargy at the start of the first phase
• Cuts out all dairy, grains and most vegetables in the first phase
• Does not provide all the necessary nutrients in the first phase
• Initial weight loss may be just water loss and is not advised

“People with impaired kidney function or any other health condition should consult their doctor before trying this or any other diet”

REFERENCES

1. The South Beach diet requires a great deal of dedication and commitment in the individual, as the diet is a complete change from what was most likely eaten before. This drastic change in diet, especially the removal of all fruit and dairy, reduction in all vegetables and increase in low fat dairy, may be difficult for some people. In addition to this, the change in diet can make many people feel lethargic and low in energy until their body starts to adjust to the diet regime, after which energy levels will increase. It is generally at the start of the diet that the dieter may find difficult and some will give up on the diet due to this
2. Cutting out a whole food group and most of another food group is not healthy because it cuts out many important nutrients (fibre, B vitamins, other vitamins) that are required by the body to be healthy and function properly
3. The initial weight loss of up to 7kg (13lb) is not recommended from a healthy nutritional view. Current medical advice is that all weight loss should be consistent and no more than 2kg (1lb) per week to be healthy

Popularity: 21% [?]

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There are a number of disadvantages to the Pritikin diet:

• Extremely low in fat (only 10%) which may not be enough
• Very low fat intake may impair absorption of fat-soluble vitamins
• Diet is very low in omega-3 fatty acids (unless fish is consumed)
• High fibre intake can cause flatulence and bloating
• Diet may not satisfy and be palatable for all people
• May be difficult to maintain this diet over the long term
• A lot of time is required for proper food preparation

“Very low fat diets, such as the Pritikin Principle diet could impair absorption of some of the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)”

REFERENCES

1. The recommended intake of fat on a daily basis is around 30-35%, which is a lot higher than the intake in the Pritikin diet. The low fat intake may make it difficult to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins such as Vitamin A, D, E and K – these vitamins require fat to be absorbed into the body. This means a deficiency of these vitamins may occur
2. The low intake of fats and especially if there is no intake of fish, may cause a deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids. The Pritikin diet recommends regular intake of fatty deep ocean fish, such as salmon, trout and mackerel and vegetarians/vegans can get their omega-3 fatty acids intake from nuts and other plant foods or supplements, but people need to be aware that this vital nutrient is necessary for many of the body’s processes to function correctly and should ensure they eat enough foods high in omega-3 fatty acids
3. Bianchi M, Capurso L. Effects of guar gum, ispaghula and microcrystalline cellulose on abdominal symptoms, gastric emptying, orocaecal transit time and gas production in healthy volunteers. Dig Liver Dis. 2002 Sep;34 Suppl 2:S129-33. Accessed on 17 January 2008. This study on healthy individuals showed that some types of fibre causes abdominal bloating and flatulence (gas)
4. The high intake of fruits, vegetables and grain with little meat-based protein and very low fat may not suit all people, some of whom may find it difficult to stay on this diet for any substantial length of time and even for people who do enjoy the diet, it still may be difficult to sustain the diet forever
5. Due to the recommendation of having a high intake of natural, unprocessed foods, there is very little opportunity to buy any packaged foods, which means all food must be prepared each day, which takes up a lot of time, which many people do not have and this is also a reason why the diet is often abandoned after some time

Popularity: 15% [?]

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There are several disadvantages to the Perricone diet and some of the main ones are discussed below:

• Supplements (recommended as part of the diet) are expensive
• Skin care (recommended as part of the diet) is expensive
• Difficult for anyone that does not like to eat fish
• Not entirely suitable for vegetarians
• No conclusive scientific proof this diet actually works
• Very little clinical studies on this diet
• Some food groups are severely restricted (fruits, grains)
• Diet does not provide enough of all the nutrients
• Nutrients need to be taken in the form of a supplement
• Difficult to maintain this diet long-term for many people
• Not recommended for people with kidney disease
• Ketosis – dangerous for people certain health conditions
• Ketosis produces toxic by-products known as ketones
• Not recommended for pregnant and lactating women
• Potential for health risks to people on this diet long term

“People with impaired kidney function or any other health condition should consult their doctor before trying this or any other diet”

REFERENCES

1. There is very little scientific evidence that this diet works, as there have been no independently published reports on the efficacy of this diet (there are two scientific studies that Dr Perricone has be part of)
2. Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). Report: Analysis of Health Problems Associated with High-Protein, High-Fat, Carbohydrate-Restricted Diets Reported via an Online Registry, 25 May 2004. Accessed on 10 January 2008. The author of the PCRM report notes that while low carbohydrate diets do show “modest short-term weight loss”, there have been no studies on the long term health effects of these diets. The report goes on to discuss the negative health impacts of high fat (especially high saturated fat) diets
3. Yancy WS  Jr, Olsen MK, Guyton JR, Bakst RP, Westman EC. A low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-fat diet to treat obesity and hyperlipidemia: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med 2004; 140: 769-777
4. The Cleveland Clinic. The Lowdown on Low Carbs, 10 January 2004. Accessed on 10 January 2008. The Cleveland Clinic’s review of the Atkins diet is to suggest that it does not contain enough nutrients and may be difficult to sustain long term, which encourages yo-yo dieting. The Cleveland Clinic is one of the major hospitals in the USA and is well-respected for their health advice and research
5. Adam-Perrot A, Clifton P, Brouns F. Low-carbohydrate diets: nutritional and physiological aspects. Obes Rev. 2006 Feb;7(1):49-58

Popularity: 3% [?]

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There are some disadvantages to the Mediterranean diet:

• Heavy reliance on carbohydrates, although they are complex carbohydrates with a low GI
• Can cause weight gain in some peopl, who are not used to eating so many carbohydrates
• May require a complete diet overhaul to start this diet, which can be difficult for some people
• Lots of planning to prepare and create meals for this diet
• Fish can be more expensive to buy than cheaper cuts of meat

Popularity: 22% [?]

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There are a number of disadvantages to the Macrobiotic diet:

• Requires careful planning every day
• May be deficient in some vital nutrients
• Too low in dairy and calcium
• Too low in protein
• Too low in fat which may prevent absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins, which need some fat to be absorbed (vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin-K)

“The macrobiotic diet is basically a type of vegetarian diet that needs very careful planning”

REFERENCES

1. The Macrobiotic diet requires careful planning to ensure that the foods eaten each day contain enough of the vitamins, minerals and amino acids and the foods recommended can be different in each area of the world, which can have different types of foods available
2. The Macrobiotic diet may be too low in some nutrients (such as vitamin B12, calcium, iron and magnesium) and may cause a deficiency and adverse health effects if these nutrients are not supplemented
3. The Macrobiotic diet is too low in dairy, which provides a lot of the calcium, magnesium and other nutrients as well as providing a low fat protein source
4. The Macrobiotic diet, if not planned correctly, will be too low in protein. This is basically a vegetarian diet and this means that certain foods need to be combined in order to create a complete protein (which contains all the essential amino acids that need to be eaten in the diet) which has to be eaten at every meal to ensure that the body has enough for all the metabolic processes it requires to perform each day
5. The Macrobiotic diet is too low in fat and this can be detrimental to the ability to absorb the fat soluble vitamins (vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin-K) which need some fat in the diet in order to be absorbed

Popularity: 11% [?]

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The following are the disadvantages to the Low GI diet:

• Some low GI foods are high in saturated fat, salt and calories
• Difficult to identify the GI value of a whole meal
• The low GI diet has not been scientifically proven yet

“Always eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains and foods low in saturated fat”

REFERENCES

1. There are many foods which have a low GI, but which are also high in saturated fat, calories and even high in salt – such as packets of chips and salted nuts. Milk and dark chocolate are also low GI, but neither are recommended to be consumed on a large basis (although dark chocolate does have many more heart healthy effects than milk chocolate, it is not advised to have blocks of it each day). Take a look at the foods low in GI to confirm this fact
2. While the components of a meal can be identified (ie each fruit / vegetable / grain etc has their own individual GI value), it is difficult to establish the GI value of the whole meal, which means that the GI may not be the best diet tool just yet
3. There is no scientific proof that the low GI diet is the one which should be following to ensure good health, due to the fact that many low GI foods are high in saturated fat, which are not recommended to be eaten in large amounts as they are not beneficial for good health

Popularity: 100% [?]

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There are many disadvantages to the juicing-fasting diet:

• Requires the purchase of a juicer
• Need to juice lots of fresh fruit and vegetables every day
• Lots of planning involved
• Need to start a pre-fast diet prior to the fast for one week
• Does not provide all the nutrients required for good health
• Cannot eat any other foods during the fast
• Very low in protein and may cause muscle wastage
• Very low in fat, so fat-soluble vitamins cant be absorbed
• Lots of unpleasant side effects associated with this diet
• Side effects include headache, fatigue, irritability, aches, pains
• Not recommended as a weight loss tool
• Unsuitable for people with any type of health condition*
• Unsuitable for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding

* People with any type of health condition should not go on this diet or at least seek medical advice, as it could be dangerous to their health

REFERENCES

1. Cabot S. The Juice Fasting Bible. Ulysses Press, USA 2007

Popularity: 17% [?]

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There are a number of disadvantages to the CSIRO Total Wellbeing diet:

• This diet is not suitable for any type of vegetarian as it does not provide meatless alternatives for any meal
• Difficult to maintain this diet long-term for many people
• Not recommended for people with kidney disease
• Ketosis – dangerous for people certain health conditions
• Ketosis produces toxic by-products known as ketones
• Not recommended for pregnant and lactating women
• Potential for health risks to people on this diet long term
• This diet has not yet been tested over the long term
• Weight lost initially is mainly due to water / fluid loss
• This diet does not contain sufficient levels of all vital nutrients

“People with impaired kidney function or any other health condition should consult their doctor before trying this or any other diet”

REFERENCES

1. The CSIRO Total Wellbeing diet was formulated with meat-eaters in mind and while the advice from the authors is that it can be adapted for vegetarians, it requires complete tailoring by a qualified dietician to ensure it meets nutritional requirements for them
2. Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). Report: Analysis of Health Problems Associated with High-Protein, High-Fat, Carbohydrate-Restricted Diets Reported via an Online Registry, 25 May 2004. Accessed on 10 January 2008. The author of the PCRM report notes that while low carbohydrate diets do show “modest short-term weight loss”, there have been no studies on the long term health effects of these diets. The report goes on to discuss the negative health impacts of high fat (especially high saturated fat) diets
3. Yancy WS  Jr, Olsen MK, Guyton JR, Bakst RP, Westman EC. A low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-fat diet to treat obesity and hyperlipidemia: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med 2004; 140: 769-777
4. The Cleveland Clinic. The Lowdown on Low Carbs, 10 January 2004. Accessed on 10 January 2008. The Cleveland Clinic’s review of the Atkins diet is to suggest that it does not contain enough nutrients and may be difficult to sustain long term, which encourages yo-yo dieting. The Cleveland Clinic is one of the major hospitals in the USA and is well-respected for their health advice and research
5. Adam-Perrot A, Clifton P, Brouns F. Low-carbohydrate diets: nutritional and physiological aspects. Obes Rev. 2006 Feb;7(1):49-58
6. National Institutes of Health – ClinicalTrials.gov. Effectiveness of a Low Carbohydrate Diet Versus a High Carbohydrate Diet in Promoting Weight Loss and Improved Health. Ongoing clinical trial from April 2005 – June 2009 with 240 participants. This study will look at the effects of a low carbohydrate diet versus a high carbohydrate diet on weight loss over a longer period (of four years). The study also aims to measure the risk of cardiovascular disease (blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as blood pressure levels), bone health, kidney function and endocrine (insulin and glucose in particular) mechanisms over the course of the study in both groups. The sponsor of this clinical trial is the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
7. Astrup A, Meinert Larsen T, Harper A. Atkins and other low-carbohydrate diets: hoax or an effective tool for weight loss? The Lancet, 2004; 364:897-899. Accessed on 10 January 2008
8. Due to the restriction of various foods (dairy, grains, fruit), this diet may not provide sufficient levels of all the vital nutrients (calcium, B vitamins and fibre) required to sustain good health

Popularity: 37% [?]

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• Ketosis produces toxic by-products known as ketones
• Ketosis – dangerous for people certain health conditions
• Using fat for energy instead of carbohydrates may not be healthy
• Fatigue – especially in the first two phases
• Bad breath and headache – especially in the first two phases
• Very high in saturated fat, which is not heart healthy
• May impair kidney function in susceptible individuals
• Very difficult to continue on the maintenance regime for life
• Constipation due to lack of necessary fibre for bowel health
• Lacking in many nutrients, especially in the first 2 stages
• Weight lost initially is mainly due to water / fluid loss
• Potential for health risks to people on this diet long term
• The diet is not recommended for pregnant and lactating women

“People with impaired kidney function or any other health condition should consult their doctor before trying this or any other diet”

REFERENCES

1. The Cleveland Clinic. The Lowdown on Low Carbs, 10 January 2004. Accessed on 10 January 2008. The Cleveland Clinic’s review of the Atkins diet is to suggest that it does not contain enough nutrients and may be difficult to sustain long term, which encourages yo-yo dieting. The Cleveland Clinic is one of the major hospitals in the USA and is well-respected for their health advice and research
2. Yancy WS  Jr, Olsen MK, Guyton JR, Bakst RP, Westman EC. A low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-fat diet to treat obesity and hyperlipidemia: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med 2004; 140: 769-777
3. Chen TY, Smith W, Rosenstock JL, Lessnau KD. A life-threatening complication of Atkins diet. Lancet 2006; 367: 958
4. White AM, Johnston CS, Swan PD, Tjonn SL, Sears B. Blood ketones are directly related to fatigue and perceived effort during exercise in overweight adults adhering to low-carbohydrate diets for weight loss: a pilot study. Department of Nutrition, Arizona State University, Mesa 85212, USA. Journal of the Dietetic Association, October 2007. Volume 107, Issue 10, Pages 1792-1796. Accessed on 10 January 2008
5. Cunningham W, Hyson D. The skinny on high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets. Prev Cardiol. 2006 Summer;9(3):166-71; quiz 172-3. Accessed on 10 January 2008
6. Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). Report: Analysis of Health Problems Associated with High-Protein, High-Fat, Carbohydrate-Restricted Diets Reported via an Online Registry, 25 May 2004. Accessed on 10 January 2008. The author of the PCRM report notes that while low carbohydrate diets do show “modest short-term weight loss”, there have been no studies on the long term health effects of these diets. The report goes on to discuss the negative health impacts of high fat (especially high saturated fat) diets
7. Astrup A, Meinert Larsen T, Harper A. Atkins and other low-carbohydrate diets: hoax or an effective tool for weight loss? The Lancet, 2004; 364:897-899. Accessed on 10 January 2008
8. Adam-Perrot A, Clifton P, Brouns F. Low-carbohydrate diets: nutritional and physiological aspects. Obes Rev. 2006 Feb;7(1):49-58

Popularity: 15% [?]

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