(P14-077-23) Opportunities for Maximizing the Dietary Quality of Fad Diets

Objectives: American dietary quality (DQ), measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), has remained stable and low since 2005 (~56–60/100). The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025 call for dietary pattern analysis to determine how guidelines might be altered to increase healthful eating. This study sought to determine the DQ of popular fad dietary patterns and the potential for improving their DQ, while staying within fad diet parameters.

Methods: Two independent researchers determined a standard “fad diet” definition. Google Explore© was searched for popular diets, using search terms derived from the established definition. Nine dietary patterns were identified for inclusion. One-week sample menus were created for each by altering a DGA-compliant menu based on the fad diet’s rules. Dietary analyses used the Automated Self-Administered 24-hour (ASA24®) Dietary Assessment Tool and HEI 2015. Menu data were extracted and analyzed with SAS software (v8), using National Cancer Institute HEI 2015 code. Outcomes included HEI total scores, total available calories, adequacy, and moderation. Micronutrient analyses included calculating means and standard deviations compared to Dietary Reference Intakes for 19–50yr old males and females.

Results: The Ketogenic, Plant-based/Vegan, Fasting, Carnivore, Liquid, Military, Low-FODMAP, and Paleo Diets were included. Total HEI 2015 scores ranged from 26.7 (Carnivore) to 89.1 (Low-FODMAP). The six highest total HEI scores ranged from 77.1–89.1 out of 100 points. Scores for Carnivore and Liquid Diets were below average HEI ranges for Americans. Total kcals were the highest in the Liquid Diet (2,143kcal/d) and lowest in the Carnivore Diet (3,102kcal/d). Overall, adherence was high among adequacy components for fruits, vegetables, and protein, but low for whole grains. Sodium scores indicated submaximal adherence among all diets analyzed. Overall, the Carnivore and Ketogenic Diets had the potential for more nutritional inadequacies for vitamins and minerals compared to the other diets.

Conclusions: The current analytical approach showed that most of the included popular fad dietary patterns have the potential to attain high DQ (HEI >80). Rather than suggesting one “best” diet or dietary pattern, there is opportunity to maximize DQ in the context of dietary patterns that are considered to be fad diets.

Funding Sources: N/A