Weight Loss Diets

The practice of eating in a regulated fashion with the intent of decreasing body weight dates to ancient times. It was relatively rare until the late 19th century in Western Europe and North America. Since then, many different weight-reducing diets, as well as products and services to assist in diet-induced weight loss, have been developed. The practice has spread to many countries, although it is still most prevalent in North America and Western Europe. Despite extensive research, there [Page 1473]is little agreement about which dietary prescriptions work best for weight loss or how diet-induced weight loss affects human health. The majority of people who lose weight by dieting regain most of the weight within a few years. This entry focuses on the history of weight ...