Registered Dietitians’ Perspective
WebMD asked two registered dietitians to review the rankings and comment.
“It is not surprising to me that the Mediterranean diet is once again the top-rated diet,” says Christine Rosenbloom, PhD, a registered dietitian, nutrition consultant, and retired professor at Georgia State University in Atlanta. “It is backed by research, specifically research to lower cardiovascular disease risk. Since 60% of adults have at least one or more diet-related chronic condition, this plan can be used to get healthy and stay healthy.”
But, she stresses, it’s important to understand that the Mediterranean diet is not all pizza, pasta, and olive oil, “along with endless salad bowls and all-you-can-eat breadsticks.”
Rather, the diet is rich in seafood, vegetables, nuts, grains, and yes, olive oil, she says.
What Rosenbloom wishes wasn’t in the report: the category for quick weight loss diets. Losing weight quickly is often followed by gaining it back once dieters go off the plan, she says.
Another tip: She wishes people would think of “diet” as a noun, as in the usual food pattern you eat, instead of a verb meaning to restrict calories to lose weight.
“Because from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to every other health organization, the recommendation is to eat a healthy pattern of foods versus restrictive eating to lose weight,” Rosenbloom says. “Many of the diets reviewed for this report emphasize healthy eating patterns that one can customize, reflect one’s cultural values, respect one’s personal choice, and consider budgetary constraints.”
Also crucial, she says, is to consider if the diet is one that can be sustained.
“A healthy diet should be one that can be followed for life … not just to fit into a certain dress size or pants for a family wedding or high school reunion,” she says.
It’s also important to look at how restrictive a diet is, says Connie Diekman, a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant in St. Louis.
Adding restrictions makes it less likely someone will follow the plan long-term.
“The more restrictive an eating plan, the harder it is to follow for any longer than the short term,” Diekman says. “As a registered dietitian, my goal is to guide consumers to eating plans they enjoy and that they can maintain.”