Dieting

Dieting is the practice of ingesting food in a regulated fashion to achieve or maintain a controlled weight. In most cases dieting is used in combination with physical exercise to lose weight in those who are overweight or obese. Some athletes however aspire to gain weight (usually in the form of muscle). Diets can also be used to maintain a stable body weight.

Diets to promote weight loss are generally divided into four categories: low-fat, low-carbohydrate, low-calorie, and very low calorie. A meta-analysis of six randomized controlled trials found no difference between the main diet types (low calorie, low carbohydrate, and low fat), with a 2–4 kilogram weight loss in all studies. At two years all calorie-reduced diet types cause equal weight loss irrespective of the macronutrients emphasized.

The first popular diet was "Banting", named after William Banting. In his 1863 pamphlet Letter on Corpulence, Addressed to the Public he outlined the details of a particular low-carbohydrate diet that had led to his own dramatic weight loss.

Diet Info...