Just got done reading this article, "Letters on Corpulence" from William Banting in 1863.
It is regarded as one of the first "fad diets" in which he eliminates certain foods.
He
eventually saw Dr. William Harvey who told him to restrict carbohydrates such
as beer, bread, potatoes, milk, and sugar which Banting declared, “had been the
main (and, I thought, innocent) elements of my existence.” Once he
restricted these high-carbohydrate foods, he began losing weight. He lost 46
pounds over the course of a year. After publishing his letter to the public,
the “Banting diet” became famous.
Since then there have my other diets as outlined in... https://azdietitians.com/blog/the-history-of-dieting-in-america-2/
Most recently it seems that intermittent fasting has been the "fad diet". I frequently have patients come in and say it worked for them, but regained the weight. This seems to be a common theme regardless of the diet. Appears that it is not so much the diet but the adherence of a plan and thought about what one is going to eat rather than the actual restrictions. Many diets shares certain commonalities such as avoidance of saturated fats, packaged goods, high sugar foods. Thus, it is typically better to stick to the staples:
1. Eat regular, balanced meals
2. Get plenty of fiber (14 grams per 1000 calories consumed)
3. Avoid highly processed, sugary, and fatty foods
4. Exercise regularly
5. Avoid overeating
