Review of Dietary Practices of the 21st Century: Facts and Fallacies

The prevalence of chronic metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer, is increasing around the world. Nutritional interventions can reduce the prevalence and provide effective treatment, even when weight loss is not dramatic. The 2013 Canadian Diabetes Association Clinical Practice Guidelines concluded that certain dietary patterns and popular weight-loss diets had sufficient evidence to suggest their use by individuals with diabetes, but many other diet patterns and diets exist. Our specific objectives were to review the nutritional quality of various dietary patterns and diets, with emphasis on the evidence that they are efficacious for weight loss, glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors.