How To Lose Weight: Best Diets In 2017 Include DASH, Mediterranean And Mind Plans

It’s around the time of the year that commitment to New Year’s resolutions tends to wane. For many, that means less focus on nutrition and exercise. A look at the top diet plans for 2017 might help to renew dedication to weight loss and healthy habits.

Diets plans to adhere to this year include the DASH diet, the Mediterranean diet and the MIND diet, according to the U.S. News and World Report’s annual rankings, released earlier this month.

The DASH diet, originally aimed at preventing and lowering blood pressure, ranked first on the list for the seventh year in a row. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension and the plan. Developed in conjunction with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, it emphasizes nutrients like fiber, protein and potassium. The focus is on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy while cutting back on salt, fat and red meat. The DASH diet was endorsed by the American Heart Association, the Mayo Clinic and the U.S. guidelines for treatment of high blood pressure.

Second in the rankings came the Mediterranean diet, an eating pattern that’s often in the news for its purported life-extending properties. While eating habits actually vary throughout the Mediterranean region, the Harvard School of Public Health and a nonprofit food think tank called Oldways worked together to come up with a food pyramid for those who want to follow the diet. Various studies have shown the benefit of the plan, focused on fruits, vegetables, seafood, olive oil, whole grains and even wine.

The MIND diet, a combination of both the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet, came in third on the U.S. News & World Report’s list. The MIND diet is aimed at preventing Alzheimer’s disease through certain foods, hence its name, which stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. Based on a scientific study of people who developed Alzheimer’s, the plan is focused on 10 primary, healthy food groups which include vegetables, nuts, berries, fish and wine.

Trendier, more popular diets didn’t fare as well on the list as did the traditional staples. The Whole30 diet, which has gained popularity in recent years, was ranked 38^th out of 38^th.