Experts weigh century of diet fads, endorse Mediterranean, DASH and a simple balanced approach

A Daily Mail roundup of diet trends over the last 100 years found consensus among nutrition and medical experts that some popular regimens offer limited or temporary benefit while others have enduring evidence of health advantage. The panel ranked the Mediterranean and DASH eating patterns among the most beneficial, criticized fads such as juice cleanses and very‑low‑carbohydrate keto plans, and singled out ‘‘a balanced diet’’ as the most reliable approach for long‑term health.

The review placed emphasis on food quality and eating patterns rather than simple calorie counting, and traced the modern dieting movement back to the mid‑19th century. William Banting, a London funeral director, published a widely circulated pamphlet in 1863 describing substantial weight loss after cutting bread, butter, milk, sugar, beer and potatoes — an early iteration of carbohydrate restriction that foreshadowed many later diets.

The experts consulted for the Daily Mail story framed dieting as a long‑running cultural and medical phenomenon, noting that controlling food for health has ancient roots in practices such as fasting. Today, they said, the diversity of commercial plans and social media‑driven fads contrasts with the eating patterns most robustly linked to health outcomes.

Among the diets judged least favorable, juice cleanses were criticized for being overly restrictive and lacking evidence of long‑term benefit. New York personal trainer Natalie Alex said such regimens ‘‘often promise quick fixes but leave people depleted, with results that rarely last.’’ New York cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Michele Green told the outlet she rated juice cleanses one out of 10 and warned they can cause nutrient shortfalls. The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health has cautioned that extended liquid‑only cleanses can produce electrolyte imbalances, headaches, fainting, weakness and dehydration.

Low‑carbohydrate ketogenic approaches also drew criticism. The keto diet originated in the 1920s as a treatment for epilepsy at the Mayo Clinic, when Dr. Russell Wilder and colleagues sought to mimic the biochemical effects of fasting. Modern keto plans encourage high fat and very low carbohydrate intake to induce ketosis. Nutritionists cited by Daily Mail said the diet can be difficult to sustain and may reduce intake of fiber, whole grains and some fruits and legumes. The American Heart Association has noted that while keto‑style diets can produce short‑term improvements in weight and blood sugar, benefits often diminish after a year and high saturated fat intake could increase cardiovascular risk.

The South Beach Diet, developed in the mid‑1990s by cardiologist Dr. Arthur Agatston, was given a low‑to‑moderate rating by the experts. Its initial phase restricts many carbohydrates in favor of lean protein and nonstarchy vegetables and later reintroduces whole grains and fruit. Critics said the program can reinforce diet culture and be hard to follow over the long term; reviewers pointed to a lack of strong evidence for superior long‑term weight loss compared with less prescriptive approaches.

By contrast, the Mediterranean diet received high marks from the group. First described as a dietary pattern by nutrition researchers including Ancel Keys in the 1960s, the Mediterranean approach emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, olive oil and moderate amounts of fish and poultry, with limited added sugars and processed foods. Nutritionist Sophie Scott told Daily Mail she rated the Mediterranean diet 10 out of 10 because it functions as an eating pattern rather than a prescriptive, short‑term plan.

Large‑scale studies underpin the diet’s reputation. The PREDIMED trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2013, found that people assigned to a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra‑virgin olive oil or nuts had a roughly 30 percent lower risk of major cardiovascular events than those assigned to a low‑fat control diet. The participants also showed modest improvements in weight and cognitive outcomes in some analyses.

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, pattern also scored highly. Developed in the late 1990s from NIH‑supported research to address high blood pressure, DASH emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low‑fat dairy while limiting saturated fat, added sugars and sodium. The American Heart Association gave DASH a top score for aligning with its guidance. Longitudinal research from Harvard and others has linked DASH‑style eating with lower long‑term risk of coronary heart disease and stroke.

Weight Watchers, a social‑support and point‑based commercial program founded in 1963 by Jean Nidetch, received a moderate positive rating. The program assigns points to foods based on nutrients rather than calories alone and sets daily and weekly targets. Clinical studies have shown participants in Weight Watchers programs can lose more weight at three months and modestly more weight at 12 months than people receiving usual care or minimal guidance, though outcomes vary by study population and level of engagement.

Although the experts ranked specific plans, they converged on a shared recommendation: sustainable results depend on dietary quality, variety and behavior, not on extreme short‑term regimens. Los Angeles pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist Dr. Raj Dasgupta told Daily Mail that ‘‘the one approach that never goes out of style is eating a variety of real, unprocessed foods, watching portions, and moving your body.’’ Dr. Green echoed that moderation and avoiding wholesale elimination of food groups helps prevent unhealthy relationships with food.

The panelists also anticipated a shift in public and clinical focus. Natalie Alex predicted less emphasis on rigid, one‑size‑fits‑all rules and greater attention to personalized nutrition aligned with individual health needs, preferences and lifestyles.

Public health context underlines the urgency of effective, sustainable dietary guidance. Media coverage and commercial diet marketing coexist with persistent burdens of obesity and diet‑related chronic disease. The experts in the Daily Mail review urged that credible dietary recommendations should prioritize whole foods, fiber‑rich plants, lean or plant‑based proteins and limited processed foods and added sugars, while also supporting long‑term adherence through realistic, culturally sensitive approaches.

The review and expert comments do not prescribe a single universal plan for every individual; rather, they prioritize patterns of eating that have been repeatedly associated with improved cardiovascular, metabolic and cognitive outcomes. For clinicians and the public, the takeaway from the century of dieting examined is that evidence supports flexible, quality‑focused eating patterns such as the Mediterranean and DASH approaches, and that ‘‘old reliable’’ common sense—balanced meals, portion awareness and regular physical activity—remains central to long‑term health.