Research
Adherence
Extreme weight-loss diets (low-carb, low-fat, or VLCD) are not sustainable long-term and lead to rapid weight regain, whereas balanced, calorie-restricted diets combined with physical activity and counseling are superior for sustained weight management.
Avoid crash diets that restrict entire food groups or severely limit calories. Instead, adopt a balanced diet with a moderate calorie deficit (500-1000 kcal/day), incorporate regular exercise, and consider counseling to help you stick with it long-term.
GoodRefutesHIGH confidence
These extreme diets not only make the diet unbalanced but also have safety issues. Moreover, these are not sustainable in the long run. The weight that is lost is regained within a short period of time when people go off these extreme diets... Instead of resorting to such extreme diets, correction of obesity is best achieved with balanced, healthy, nutritious diets which are low in calories, combined with adequate physical activity (exercise).
Why this rating
Based on a review of multiple studies and large cohort data (PURE, Seidelmann), though not a single RCT.
Source
Pros & cons of some popular extreme weight-loss diets
Joshi Shilpa et al. · The Indian Journal of Medical Research · 2018
narrative_reviewCited 21×
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