This document analyzes and compares four major diets: Low-carb (Atkins), Low-Calorie (Weight Watchers), Low-Sodium (Dr. Ornish), and Diabetic. It finds that the Ornish diet is the safest and most medically proven, as it focuses on preventative lifestyle changes like a very low-fat vegetarian diet and has received funding and endorsements from major health organizations. However, dieting is difficult for most Americans to maintain long-term. Sustainable and local food is important to support health, and films like The Meatrix can raise awareness of these issues.

1. Martin CJ Mongiello
Foodservice Technology Systems (CUL 325), February 9, 2010
Analyze and report on the following four diets:
Name of Diet Major facets of it
Low-carb - ATKINS Named after the late Doctor Atkin’s, this diet metabolically strips off
weight through specific medical guidance that actually works for a large
number of the population. This diet can actually be dangerous for some
people. It encourages the eating of meats and proteins, steaks and
lobster as well as other things but offers hardly any carbs at all. Some
pre-approved products are available in supermarkets and a large amount
of products is available online. It has not received funding or
endorsement from the National Institutes of Health, Blue Cross or Blue
Shield. It has not produced international acclaim from the American
Medical Association nor British Medical Association via studies and
research showcased in hospitals worldwide.
Low-Calorie – Weight Watchers This is a program offered worldwide that offers the support of weekly
meetings. It is quite unique in that! It focuses on a balanced approach to
eating with balanced food groups served each day. It offers reasonable
portions and reasonable sizes of food. There is an extensive international
network available to the person as well as information online. Sweets are
minimized via usage of artificial sweeteners and portion control. Many
pre-approved products are available in supermarkets as well as online. It
has not received funding or endorsement from the National Institutes of
Health, Blue Cross or Blue Shield. It has not produced international
acclaim from the American Medical Association nor British Medical
Association via studies and research showcased in hospitals worldwide.
Low-Sodium – Dr. Ornish This is actually not a diet, and as a close friend of Doctor Ornish, I can tell
you it is referred to as a lifestyle change and plan. Its main focus is the
lowering of fat On a daily basis to less than 10% of all caloric intakes. The
preference is zero fat. No fat. Most nuts, oils, caffeine, meats, chicken,
fish and pork are not allowed. It is a spin on a vegetarian diet without the
fat but plenty of protein. It has received funding and endorsement from
the National Institutes of Health, Blue Cross and Blue Shield. In fact, it is
the only, “diet”, in the world that has ever been approved. It has
produced international acclaim from the American Medical Association and
British Medical Association via studies and research showcased in hospitals
worldwide. The program are rely on specialized food sold in supermarkets
or on web sites to make it elusive – but shares with people how to cook
for themselves in their home. One can also eat out in restaurants.
Diabetic This is not a specialized diet that is showcased inside of a special program
with packaging. It deals with people that have type one and two diabetes
and who must limit the intake of real sugar. Often this time it will utilize
artificial sweeteners for many products

2. These various diets are often mixed in with other diets like The Zone, Jenny Craig, South Beach and so
many, many more.
The problems with diets are that most Americans regain the weight after six months and that most
Americans do not do well measuring, weighing and counting. For these reasons, the Ornish Lifestyle
has none of those facets and is the safest and most medically proven of all diets known, worldwide.
Doctor Ornish has also broken ground in new studies of obesity, eating, prostate cancer and other
helping for projects resulting in a colleague winning the Nobel Prize in 2009.
Obesity and dieting are an epidemic in our country and not easy to deal with.
“In my findings, experience and work with the Preventive Medicine Research Institute, my mentor
Doctor Dean Ornish (http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2009/08/12/lkl.health.debate.cnn),
the Presidential Medical Team and Dean’s Senate Health Reform testimony
(http://help.senate.gov/Hearings/2009_02_26/2009_02_26.html), as the Executive Chef of Camp
David, a White House Sous Chef under Walter Scheib III and in working inside Fortune 500 food
manufacturers I continually gather data and compare it to the latest studies. Too many physicians and
hospitals in America are advocates of reactive medicine and are busy enriching themselves with the
common person – their problems and cash. It has been well proven that preventive medicine lowers
corporate and overall costs. So why continue to vastly practice reactive medicine. My personal and
professional challenge is against those practitioners who disagree with the facts of study after study”
(Mongiello 1-2).
Additionally, sustainable food is critical to all ingredients whether or not they are put into food items
or just purchased right off of the shelves. If you have not had the chance to watch, The Meatrix yet –
try looking it up on the internet.
Dieting does nothing if even the diet food you buy has been tampered with or the raw fruits you buy
have been sprayed and injected.
1. Mokdad AH, et al. The spread of the obesity epidemic in the United States, 1991—1998 JAMA 1999; 282:16:1519–22
2. Pies Offer a Glimpse of Local Homemade, NPR (September 9, 2007)
3. Moyers, B. "Changing Life Habits: A Conversation with Dean Ornish." In: Healing and the Mind. New York: Doubleday, 1993
4. Ornish DM. Stress and coronary heart disease: new concepts. In: Carlson RJ, Newman B, eds. For Your Health. New York: C.V.
Mosby, 1987
5. Mokdad AH, et al. The continuing epidemics of obesity and diabetes in the United States. JAMA. 2001; 286:10:1519–22
6. Sustainable Table promotes Wyoming's natural foods, Wyoming Business Report (September 1, 2007)
7. Mokdad AH, et al. Prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and obesity-related health risk factors, 2001. JAMA 2003: 289:1: 76–9
8. CDC. State-Specific Prevalence of Obesity Among Adults — United States, 2007; MMWR 2008; 57(36);765-8
9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Chronic Disease Overview. Atlanta, GA: CDC, 2008
http://www.cdc.gov/NCCdphp/overview.htm
10. Ogden C, et al. “Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in the United States, 1999-2004.” Journal of the American Medical
Association 2006, vol. 295, pp. 1549-1555
11. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and
Obesity 2001. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon
General, 2001
12. Tour proves Americans favor locally grown goods, Staten Island Advance (September 12, 2007)
13. Merritt T, Ornish D, Scherwitz L, Billings J, Elliott M, Lipsenthal L. The effects of intensive lifestyle changes on coronary heart
disease risk factors and clinical status in self-selected heart patients. Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation. 1995; 15: 353
14. Ornish DM, Gotto AM, Miller RR, et al. Effects of a vegetarian diet and selected yoga techniques in the treatment of coronary
heart disease. Clinical Research. 1979; 27: 720A
15. Ornish DM. Heart disease. In: How Your Mind Affects Your Health. New York: Institute for the Advancement of Health, 1990
16. Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Diet Quality of American School-Age Children by School Lunch
Participation Status: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1994-2004. Alexandria, VA: FNS, 2008
17. Basiotis PP, et al. “The Healthy Eating Index, 1999-2000: Charting Dietary Patterns of Americans.” Family Economics and
Nutrition Review. Winter, 2004
18. National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of the Director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Disease-Specific
Estimates of Direct and Indirect Costs of Illness and NIH Support. Bethesda, MD: NIH, 2000
19. Mongiello MCJ. “Chefs have the right prescription for health and longevity.” National Culinary Review 1995, September Issue,
pp. 50-54

3. 20. Mongiello MCJ. SUSTAINABLE FARMING IN AMERICA AND THE WORLD: The dangers of not growing the local, organic and
sustainable movement in our fine state of North Carolina, the USA and globally. Art Institute of Charlotte (November 2009)
21. One on One with Diane Hatz, Vegetarian Times (September 2008)
22. Raising Awareness of Sustainable Food Issues and Building Community via the Integrated Use of New Media with Other
Communication Approaches, Cases in Public Health Communication and Marketing (August 2008)
23. Top 10: Films for the Earth, Sacramento News and Review (July 3, 2008), The Meatrix. Available for free download
(www.themeatrix.com)
24. Rocking the Eco-Cause in Tennessee, Food and Wine (June 18, 2008)
25. Summer grilling: Go for sustainable meat, Plenty Magazine (June 12, 2008)
26. Moo If You Like This Poll, CBS News (June 3, 2008)