USA: The U.S. News & World Report has titled the Mediterranean diet to be the best overall diet. The diet has retained its top position for the fifth year in a row now. With its emphasis on fruits, olive oil, vegetables, fish, and healthy fare, the Mediterranean diet is eminently sensible, the report states.
Mediterranean diet was followed by the DASH diet (tie at second place) and the Flexitarian diet.
According to the report, the Mediterranean diet may offer a host of health benefits, including weight loss, heart and brain health, cancer prevention, and diabetes prevention and control. By following the Mediterranean diet, one can also keep that weight off while avoiding chronic disease. The diet is one of the few diets — most of which involve higher fat or lower carbohydrate intake — that demonstrates CVD benefits.
40 diets were ranked by the U.S. News based on input from a panel of diet, nutrition, and health experts. These were touted to be the Best Diets for 2022 by the report. The 40 diets were rated based on seven categories including ease of following the plan, its ability to produce short- and long-term weight loss, "nutritional completeness," safety and potential for preventing diabetes and CVD. The diets were rated from the score of one to five (five being the highest score).
The cost of a plan or amount of exercise the plan requires was not part of the decision-making process, according to the press release.
It was generally seen that people living in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea have a longer life span and suffer less tha most Americans from cancer and cardiovascular ailments. The report notes that the not-so-surprising secret is an active lifestyle, weight control, and a diet low in red meat, sugar, and saturated fat and high in produce, nuts and other healthful foods.
The only caveat to the Mediterranean diet is that it is Eurocentric. Also, the diet may also be prohibitive, particularly for those with lower socioeconomic status.
Based on the report, the following are the best three in different categories:
Best overall diets
1. Mediterranean diet
2. DASH diet (tied)
2. Flexitarian diet (tied)
Best diet plans
1. Mayo Clinic diet (tied)
1. WW, also known as Weight Watchers (tied)
3. Jenny Craig
Best weight-loss diets
1. Flexitarian diet (tied)
1. Volumentrics (tied)
1. WW (tied)
Best fast weight-loss diets
1. Atkins
2. HMR diet (tied)
2. OPTAVIA diet (tied)
Best diets for healthy eating
1. Mediterranean diet
2. DASH diet (tied)
2. Flexitarian diet (tied)
Easiest diets to follow
1. Mediterranean diet
2. Flexitarian diet
3. MIND diet (tied)
3. Fertility diet (tied)
3. WW (tied)
Best diets for diabetes
1. Mediterranean diet
2. Flexitarian diet (tied)
2. vegan diet (tied)
Best heart-healthy diets
1. Mediterranean diet (tied)
1. Ornish diet (tied)
3. DASH diet
Best plant-based diets
1. Mediterranean diet
2. Flexitarian diet
3. vegetarian diet
According to the release, the complete list of rankings also includes intermittent fasting and the Sirtfood diet for the first time. This accounts for the ever-evolving nature of diet and nutrition.