WHAT DO CONSUMERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT POPULAR WEIGHT-LOSS DIETS?
The information gained from the literature review on popular weight-loss diets and the analysis of USDA’s nationwide food intake summary data will be key in structuring the plan for the new diet research. Public comment will be solicited at the public meeting on January 11, 2001. This input will be used for the final research design which will be coordinated and implemented by USDA and its Human Nutrition Research Centers. The largest part of the coordinated research effort will be devoted to a series of prospective studies on both the long- and short-term health and nutrition effects of the various types of popular diets. Prevention of weight gain and weight maintenance is important to the health of all Americans. The goal of this research is to provide scientifically validated and clear information to help the millions of overweight and obese Americans who often can lose the weight initially but find maintaining the weight loss or a healthy weight nearly impossible.
