Ranking this year's top popular diets in the U.S.

U.S News and World Report has recently released its 2018 assessment of the 40 top popular diets. The review is done annually by an expert panel of professionals from a wide range of health and wellness arenas. Keep in mind that the term “diet” does not necessarily imply a weight loss diet. It is used more generally to mean “a pattern of eating."

The diets are evaluated in nine categories. Examples of some of the criteria for which they are rated include contribution to overall health, to diabetes, to cardiovascular health, to weight loss, and ease of following, among others. The full report also provides additional information about each of the diets.

The purpose of this annual assessment is to guide consumers toward better health and wellness. By providing more detailed information about each of the diets, as well as some data from research studies and the opinions of health experts, consumers can then tailor their food intake to better meet their individual health goals. So, what are the results for 2018?

Ranked best for overall health in a tie are the Mediterranean Diet and the DASH Diet. These diets appear to contribute to a longer, higher quality of life. They are well-balanced nutritionally, are relatively easy to follow, and can help to reduce the risk of some chronic diseases – such as cardiovascular disease. Both also have years of scientific research to support their recommendations.

In addition, these two diets are similar in their food focus. Both promote the intake of a wide variety of healthy minimally processed foods such as fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, lean protein foods, lower fat dairy products, fish/seafood, and heart-healthy oils such as olive oil. The DASH Diet, originally developed to lower high blood pressure, encourages limiting sodium intake as well.

The Flexitarian Diet came in third for best overall diet, tied for third as a best diet for diabetes, and ranked high in many other categories. This diet was formulated with weight loss and optimal health in mind. It contains a high percentage of plant-based foods but is not necessarily a vegetarian diet. It suggests, as the name of the diet implies, a flexible eating plan that focuses on a healthy progression toward healthier eating, not perfection. It was noted by the experts as being nutritionally sound.

Weight Watchers came in fourth in the best overall category and first in best weight loss diet. The MIND Diet came in fifth best overall. This is not a surprise since it is actually a blend of the Mediterranean and DASH Diets, but with a focus on benefits for brain health. Although the goal of this diet is to slow cognitive decline, as would be expected, this diet provides numerous other health benefits.

Similar to the best overall ranking, the diets noted as the best for diabetes prevention and management were the Mediterranean Diet and the DASH Diet. Four diets were tied for third place in this category – the Flexitarian Diet, the Mayo Clinic diet, a vegan diet, the Volumetrics Diet, and Weight Watchers.

For cardiovascular health, the Mediterranean Diet placed first and the DASH Diet tied for second with the Ornish Diet. This latter diet is totally plant-based, very low in overall fat content, and includes recommendations for stress reduction such as meditation. It is, however, more difficult to sustain. The Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes Diet (TLC) came in 4th under the heading of cardiovascular benefits and is endorsed by the American Heart Association.

The diets that ranked higher for weight loss were not those that promoted fast weight loss. Instead, the experts looked for diets that would yield more gradual weight loss that can be sustained long-term, as this goal is better for health. As noted, Weight Watchers was number one, followed by Volumetrics, Jenny Craig, and the vegan diet which were all tied for third place, and fifth was the Flexitarian Diet.

Fortunately, the diets voted easiest to follow were also some of healthier diets – the Mediterranean, Flexitarian and Weight Watchers diets. This means they are “user-friendly,” do not contain ingredients that are difficult to obtain, provide good flavor and feeling of fullness, and can be sustained over a long period of time.

The diets that ranked at the bottom of the list of 40 were the Body Reset Diet, the Whole 30 Diet, the Dukan diet, and the Keto diet. Some of the reasons for ranking diets on the lower end of the list were because they were very restrictive, provided insufficient amounts of calories, are nutritionally unsound, are difficult to follow, and are therefore not as sustainable.

Note that although it may sound appealing, weight that is lost rapidly is usually regained and future weight loss attempts tend to be more difficult. Very low calorie intake also means less energy to do exercise, which is a key component of health.

So, take a few minutes to check out the details of the U.S. News and World Report 2018 assessment of the top popular diets. Do your own review of the diets and compare them to your personal weight and health goals. If you are unfamiliar with some of the diets and would like more information about any of them, consider checking out the details provided in the analysis.

Pam Stuppy, MS, RD, CSSD, LD is a registered, licensed dietitian with nutrition counseling offices in York, Maine and Portsmouth. She is also the nutritionist for Phillips Exeter Academy, presents workshops nationally, and is Board Certified as a Specialist in Sports Dietetics. (See www.pamstuppynutrition.com for more nutrition information, some healthy cooking tips, and recipe ideas).