The Best Diet Plans from U.S. News Experts

The reviewers and research methods behind the review of the diet plans looks to be pretty sound.

The 22 member independent expert panel was selected from recognized experts in diet and nutrition. Also included on the panel were specialists in diabetes and heart disease.

This U.S. News team spent six months researching and reviewing a total of 20 diets. For each diet plan a profile was drawn up that included:

• Explanations how the diet works.
• Whether claims add up or fall short of expectations.
• Risks of the diet plan.
• Ease or difficult of living on the diet plan.

After researching and reviewing diet plans the experts rated each diet on a scale of 1 to 5 in seven different categories. The categories rated included:

• Short-term weight loss
• Long-term weight loss
• Ease of following the diet
• Nutritional completeness
• Safety
• Ability to prevent or manage diabetes
• Ability to prevent or manage heart disease.

The experts were also asked to weigh in on aspects of each diet that they particularly liked or disliked and consider what they thought those considering starting the diet should know.

In order to be considered a top-rated diet plan, the expert panel decided that the top-rated diet had to be:

• Easy to follow
• Nutritious
• Safe
• Effective for weight loss
• Effective against diabetes
• Effective against heart disease. 

The results from all 22 experts for diet plans were compiled to create the Best Diet Plans in each of the different categories.

Image by Kirsti A. Dyer

If I have one concern about the study it is that the review team only reviewed twenty diet plans. 

The diet plans reviewed by name (alphabetically) include:

Atkins, DASH Diet, Eco-Atkins, Glycemic Index Diet, Jenny Craig, Mayo Clinic Diet, Medifast, Mediterranean Diet, Nutrisystem, Ornish Diet, Paleo Diet, Raw Food Diet, Slim-Fast, South Beach Diet, TLC Diet, Vegan Diet, Vegetarian Diet, Volumetrics, Weight Watchers and the Zone Diet.

Many of the diet plans reviewed are the among the most popular plans and the ones that the public has generally heard about. They do have plans to review more studies noting:

"We also couldn't cover every diet that has a flock of followers, but we'll add more.

We also plan to be able to build in enhanced freedom to zero in more precisely, plugging in your detailed preferences and requirements, to find the diets that fit you best.

That will be Best Diets 2.0."

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Best Diets from U.S. News
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In looking at the overall best diet plans the experts chose the following: 

1. DASH Diet

2. TIE - Mediterranean Diet, Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) Diet and Weight Watchers Diet

5. TIE - Mayo Clinic Diet and Volumetrics

The DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) took the top spot. The experts chose a total of six diet plans.

Note: There were several ties.

Image by Kirsti A. Dyer

Best Diets Overall - Diets ranked by across-the-board effectiveness.
U.S. News evaluated and ranked the 20 diets below with input from a panel of health experts. To be top-rated, a diet had to be relatively easy to follow, nutritious, safe, and effective for weight loss and against diabetes and heart disease.

In looking at the best diet plans that resulted in weight loss the experts chose the following: 

1. Weight Watchers

2. TIE - Jenny Craig and Raw Food Diet

4. Volumetrics

5. TIE - Slim-Fast and Vegan Diet

Weight Watchers took top honors in the Best Weight Loss Diet Plan category. The experts chose a total of six diet plans.

Note: There were several ties.

Image by Kirsti A. Dyer

Best Weight-Loss Diets - Diets ranked by effectiveness for both quick and lasting weight loss.
A panel of experts examined the research supporting—or refuting—a diet's potential to bring both short- and long-term weight loss, assigning scores on a scale of 1 (ineffective) to 5 (extremely effective) in these two categories.

In looking at the best diet plans that allowed people to manage their diabetes the experts chose the following: 

1. DASH Diet

2. TIE - Mayo Clinic Diet, Ornish Diet and Vegan Diet

3. TIE - Mediterranean Diet, Vegitarian Diet and Volumetrics Diet

The DASH Diet again took the top spot for the Best Diabetes Diet Plan. The experts chose a total of seven diet plans.

Note: There were several ties.

Image by Kirsti A. Dyer

Best Diabetes Diets - Diets that can prevent diabetes or help diabetics.
Diet is a crucial tool for diabetics to manage their diabetes. Dieting can also help people who are overweight prevent type 2 diabetes. The experts who rated the diets below considered how good each diet is for both prevention and treatment of diabetes.

In looking at the best diet plans that allowed people to keep their hearts healthy by losing weight, lowering cholesterol, blood pressure or diabetes the experts chose the following: 

1. Ornish Diet

2. TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) Diet 

3. DASH Diet

4. Mediterranean Diet

5. Vegan Diet

The Ornish Diet is the top diet for the most heart-healthy diet.

There were no ties in the heart-healthy category.

Image by Kirsti A. Dyer

Best Heart-Healthy Diet - Diets that lower cholesterol, blood pressure, or triglycerides.
A heart-healthy diet is one that can help you lose weight or lower cholesterol, blood pressure, or triglycerides.

In reviewing the best commercial diet plans the experts considered the ability of each diet to deliver weight loss, provide good nutrition and safety, and be relatively easy to follow. They chose:

1. Weight Watchers Diet

2. Jenny Craig Diet

3. Slim-Fast Diet

4. Nutrisystem Diet

5. South Beach Diet

Weight Watchers was chosen as the best commercial diet plan.

There were no ties in the commercial diets category.

Image by Kirsti A. Dyer

Best Commercial Diet Plans - Brand-name diets ranked by overall effectiveness.
Some such commercial diet plans are better than others, according to experts who rated the diets below for U.S. News. The experts considered each diet's ability to deliver weight loss, provide good nutrition and safety, and be relatively easy to follow.