Fad diets?

Looking at the initial stages of the Dukan Diet, it’s easy to see why it is often classified as a fad diet.

Developed by French doctor Pierre Dukan in the 1970s, the Dukan Diet consists of four stages. It starts with the Attack Phase, which consists almost entirely of unlimited lean-protein foods.

The rationale for this very high protein intake is that it will lead to rapid weight loss as a result of boosting metabolism and significantly decreasing appetite.

Other foods are added with each stage until the Stabilization Phase, where no foods are strictly off-limits, but high-protein foods and vegetables are encouraged. The final phase also requires that you eat only Attack Phase foods once a week.

As extreme as this diet seems, it does appear to produce weight loss.

Polish researchers assessed the diets of 51 women who followed the Dukan Diet for 8–10 weeks. The women lost an average of 33 pounds (15 kg) while consuming about 1,000 calories and 100 grams of protein per day (26).

Although there isn’t much research on the Dukan Diet specifically, studies have found that similar high-protein diets may be effective for weight loss (27, 28, 29).

Indeed, a systematic review of 13 controlled studies found that high-protein, low-carb diets are more effective than low-fat diets for producing weight loss and reducing the risk factors for heart disease (30).

If you are interested in learning more about the Dukan Diet, read this article.