Fad diets are diets that involve rapid weight loss, but are only to be followed for a short period of time. Fad diets are also diets that quickly become wildly popular, last for a short time, then become a footnote in popular culture. The Hollywood diet, the Atkins diet, and Jenny Craig are just three examples.
Another name for these fad diets are food faddism. A food fad is a phenomenon in which some food or category of food suddenly becomes very popular. These generally have some common elements, including:
-Some elements of the food are said to have miraculous properties.
-Other foods are removed from the diet because they have negative properties that should be avoided.
The Atkins diet displays the characteristics of one of these fad diets. In this diet carbohydrates are the Keystone element that is negative and therefore to be avoided. Carbohydrates take on both of the common elements in that removing carbohydrates from the diet creates a near magical metabolic state in which fat is burned at an incredible rate. This diet even included short phases, followed by sustained phases. But Dr. Atkins did intend that people could eat this way for the rest of their lives.
As with many have diets, Atkins popularity was extreme and short-lived. It lasted a few years during which it seemed everyone you talked to was on the diet . Every movie star, singer, and sports figure claimed to use the Atkins diet when they needed to lose weight. Although still around today, the diet is far from as popular as it was at its height.