Obesity represents the principal nutrition-related health issue for people in the United States in the new millennium, according to the Stanford University School of Medicine's Prevention Research Center. Weight loss programs change from year to year, and weight loss advice regularly appears contradictory, vague and sometimes even dangerous. Some basic guidelines to keep in mind when shopping for a new diet plan will help focus your attention on what works safely and effectively.
Time Frame
Unsafe or fad diets promise unrealistically quick weight loss. Typically, these diets provide precious few carbohydrates and calories, and although this indicates a fast loss on the scale, in reality it is simply fluid loss, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. As soon as the body rehydrates, the weight returns. A safe and successful diet plan promotes slow and steady weight loss, according to the National Institutes of Health Weight Control Information Network. Weight loss should range between 1/2 of a pound to 2 lb. per week.
Physical Activity
Weight loss and exercise go hand in hand, and a sound diet includes tips for followers to increase their physical activity, according to the National Institutes of Health Weight Control Information Network. Simple ways to increase activity include walking rather than driving, climbing stairs in lieu of an elevator or escalator, and doing some form of aerobic exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes a day, three times per week.
Healthy Eating
Diets that work incorporate healthful eating plans that reduce calories without harsh restriction. Forgo diets that forbid specific foods or ban entire food groups, says the National Institutes of Health Weight Control Information Network. A daily intake of 1,200 calories represents the lowest recommended intake for women while 1,500 calories per day represents the lowest recommended intake for men. Regimens that restrict calories to a daily level of 500 to 800 calories require medical supervision.
Lifestyle Habits
A reliable and effective diet includes tips on healthful habits that adhere to cultural needs -- lower-fat versions of your favorite foods, for example --as well as tending to emotional eating triggers. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, stress, depression, frustration and boredom all factor in overeating for dieters. Seek appropriate medical treatment for any emotional or psychological conditions while following a diet plan.
Research
A yearlong 2007 study published by Stanford University School of Medicine in the Journal of the American Medical Association compared four popular weight loss programs -- the Atkins Diet, the Zone Diet, the LEARN Diet, and the Ornish Diet -- and found that patients who followed the low carbohydrate Atkins Diet experienced the greatest weight loss and the most benefits in terms of blood pressure and cholesterol reduction. However, Christopher Gardner, assistant professor of medicine at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, and lead researcher, stressed that any potential long-term health complications resulting from a low carbohydrate diet cannot be recognized in a 12-month study. Adequate ingestion of certain vitamins and minerals also remains problematic in a low carbohydrate diet, cautions Gardner.
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