As millions of US citizens are trying to lose weight going into the New Year, only 20% will be able to keep the weight off for a year, says the U.S. News Report. The organization highlights that deciphering which plans work best can be overwhelming, especially with incorrect nutrition provided by social media influences. In its annual diet ranking, the organization identifies the WeightWatchers, Mediterranean and volumetrics diets as the best options for sustainable weight loss.

Across eleven categories, such as weight loss, diabetes and family-friendly diets, U.S. News Report ranks 30 well-known diets with 43 nutrition panelists. These emphasize well-balanced, unrestrictive diets, teaching dieters “lifelong positive eating habits.”

For the first time, the U.S. News Report has also included vegan diets in its ranking, noting that scientific research continues to support many health benefits of eating a plant-based diet. According to the organization, these benefits also partly explain why many of the top-performing diets in 2024 are plant-forward, such as the Mediterranean, flexitarian, DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), volumetrics, Mayo Clinic and vegan diets.

In this second of a two-part series, Nutrition Insight continues its conversation with Gretel Schueller, managing editor of health at U.S. News, diving into weight loss and plant-based diets, as well as social media influences.

“Choosing a diet can be tough. Each person has unique health considerations and goals, and there are many diets out there to choose from — it’s hard to know which ones will actually work best for you,” says Schueller.

The panelists choose the Mediterranean diet as the “Best Diet Overall,” as research suggests it can help improve longevity and ward off chronic diseases. The second and third spots on the ranking were snatched up by the related DASH and MIND diets — a combination of the Mediterranean and DASH diets.

Diets for weight loss
The U.S. News Report ranking includes two categories for weight loss — Best Weight Loss Diets facilitate weight loss at a healthy, sustainable rate, while Best Fast Weight Loss Diets fulfill a short-term goal of losing weight in three months or less, even if this is not sustained for the long term.

The keto diet tops the rankings in the fast weight loss category, but ranks poorly compared to the other diets — ranking nr. 25 out of 30 diets examined.

Though Schueller asserts that the experts recommend well-balanced, unrestrictive diets that remain sustainable over the long term, there are times when people want to lose weight quickly for a special event. “These diets, like keto and Akins, can do that.”

Experts recommend well-balanced, sustainable and unrestrictive diets to lose weight.“Most experts would say for quick weight loss, you could follow these diets to reach your weight loss goal. But then, you should transition to a more sustainable diet,” she underscores.

“Research indicates that fast weight loss is often not lasting weight loss because the strategies necessary to lose weight quickly are not sustainable. Instead, slow and steady weight loss — like one to two pounds a week — wins the race.”

The organization also recognizes that weight loss drugs are beginning to change the landscape of dieting and diet culture. Schueller expects these weight loss tools to continue to be used by more people. At the beginning of 2023, none of the ranked diets offered glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists, but four offered these drugs to their members during the year.

“There’s no doubt these medications are a game changer for some when it comes to weight loss,” highlights Schueller. “But eating healthy foods, practicing portion control and exercising all still matter — no matter your goals.”

Social media influence
U.S. News Report notes its rankings are significant in light of the “bizarre buffet” of dieting advice influencers provide on social media. The organization notes that a study by the University of Glasgow, UK, found that 90% of influencers with over 80,000 followers made weight management claims that were inaccurate or misleading.

“One of the most harmful issues regarding social influencers and nutrition advice is that the image and information they present is often unrealistic,” adds Schueller. “It’s sometimes coming from people with literally no nutrition or health qualifications.”

“For young people especially, this can lead to unhealthy body image concerns and disordered eating. As one of our experts put it, it has made diet-related information available to the public on steroids. And it can be really hard to tell whether the information is helpful or harmful.”

For example, she highlights “What I Eat in a Day” posts, which are “unrealistic and nutritionally inadequate food diaries.” Schueller notes that these typically highlight orthorexic eating habits and highly restrictive routines in terms of the amount and types of foods consumed, “preying on people’s anxiety about what they should eat.”

Plant-based or plant-forward diets are any diet wher plants — vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds — take center stage.Plant-forward
For the first time, the U.S. News Report ranked vegan diets, recognizing that eating vegan is “no longer confined to the fringes of organic coops and that vegan foods and meals are becoming easier to find than ever.” This diet ranked third place in the “Best Plant-based Diets” category, after the flexitarian and Mediterranean diets.

“Plant-based diets, also called plant-forward diets, are any diet wher plants — vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds — take center stage on your plate,” explains Schueller. “But animal products, like meat, seafood, dairy and eggs, can still play a supporting role. It doesn’t mean you’re a full-time vegetarian or vegan.”

She adds that this category can include a spectrum of plant-focused eating patterns — from vegan diets that exclude all animal foods to vegetarian diets that avoid animal meat to semi-vegetarian diets that significantly reduce animal foods.

“Industry trends seem to indicate that more people are becoming what I’d call ‘part-time vegetarians.’ Diets like flexitarian, Mediterranean and Nutritarian offer that flexibility. Essentially, you’re getting many benefits of a vegetarian diet while still allowing for some intake of animal products.”