Weight-loss diet books continue to occupy the top of the bestseller lists. However, over the past decade there has been a shift in the way these diets are framed, and in the types of scientific claims underpinning the diets.

A key feature of many popular weight-loss diets since the 1970s has been the claim that the macronutrient ratio-proportion of fat, carbs and protein-is the major determinant of whether a food or dietary pattern promotes weight gain or weight loss. Low-fat, low-carb, high-fat, high-protein-some combination of some of these macronutrient prescriptions-have dominated the weight-loss scene in the late twentieth century.

In recent years, weight-loss diet books have continued to make reference to the ideal macronutrient profile for weight loss, but with a greater focus on the particular foods to consume or avoid: meat, wheat, grains or sugar. However, these diet books also place greater emphasis on how nutrients and foods affect specific bodily processes and functions related to weight gain and loss. Their focus has shifted down to the cellular and molecular level of our bodies, and onto hormones such as insulin, the control of blood sugar levels, the regulation of fat storage in cells, and brain-satiety signals. Diet book authors now offer […]