nine diets, two—a quick weight-loss diet and a main-
tenance diet—are designed for vegetarians who use
eggs and dairy products. Another benefit noted by
reviewers is the relatively low cost of the Anne Collins
plans. The $19.97 subscription fee is roughly the same
as the cost of most novels in e-book form, and sub-
scribers may download all nine PDFs if they wish. The
fact that the system is not associated with a line of
potentially expensive diet products is also appealing to
reviewers.
Many dieters seem to like the flexibility of the
Anne Collins plans, in particular the option of using
convenience foods and switching among the various
plans to avoid monotony. Opinion is mixed, however,
regarding the use of fast foods in the Collins plans.
Some reviewers maintain that the fast-food options
are a necessary adaptation to contemporary eating
patterns, while others regard the fast-food choices as
exposing dieters to a high degree of temptation to
cheat on the diet together with a high level of unheal-
thy saturatedfatsand sugars.PrecautionsAlthough none of the Anne Collins diet plans are
very low calorie diets (VLCDs) or otherwise extreme,
it is always a good idea for people who need to lose 30
pounds or more; are pregnant or nursing; are below
the age of 18; or have such chronic disorders as dia-
betes, kidney disease, or liver disease to check with a
physician before starting a weight-reduction diet.RisksThere do not appear to be any significant health
risks associated with any of the nine plans for dieters
who have been evaluated by a physician for any pre-
viously undiagnosed disorders.Research and general acceptance
Although three physicians are listed on the Web
site as approving the Collins system, two are identified
only by initials. The Anne Collins system does not
appear to have been used in any clinical trials reported
in the medical literature, possibly because of the sheer
number of different diet plans included in the pro-
gram. In addition, Collins’s credentials as a nutrition-
ist are not listed on her Web site, which makes it
difficult to verify her qualifications as a weight loss
expert. Existing feedback about this diet is informal as
of early 2007, consisting solely of testimonials on the
Web site itself and comments or reviews on various
Internet diet Web sites and online chat groups.Resources
BOOKS
Scales, Mary Josephine.Diets in a Nutshell: A Definitive
Guide on Diets from A to Z. Clifton, VA: Apex Pub-
lishers, 2005.
ORGANIZATIONS
Anne Collins Weight Loss Program. [cited April 26, 2007].
<http://www.anne-collins.com>.Rebecca J. Frey, PhDKEY TERMS
Glycemic index (GI)—A system that ranks carbo-
hydrates in individual foods on a gram-for-gram
basis in regard to their effect on blood glucose levels
in the first two hours after a meal. There are two
commonly used GIs, one based on pure glucose as
the reference standard and the other based on white
bread.
Insulin resistance—A condition in which normal
amounts of insulin in a person’s blood are not
adequate to produce an insulin response from fat,
muscle, and liver cells. Insulin resistance is often a
precursor of type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes.
Lipids—Organic substances containing hydrocar-
bons that are relatively insoluble in water. Lipids in
the blood include such substances as cholesterol
and fatty acids.
Ovolactovegetarian—A vegetarian who consumes
eggs and dairy products as well as plant-based
foods.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)—An endo-
crine disorder characterized by irregular ovulation in
women of childbearing age and excessive amounts of
androgens (masculinizinghormones). It is a leading
cause of infertility and thought to affect between 5
and 10% of women. PCOS is often associated with
obesity and insulin resistance. PCOS is also known as
Stein-Leventhal syndrome.
Soluble fiber—The part of a food plant that resists
digestion and absorption in the human small intes-
tine but is fermented partially or completely in the
large intestine. This fermentation yields short-chain
fatty acids, which are beneficial to health by stabi-
lizing blood glucose levels, lowering blood choles-
terol levels, and supporting the immune system.
Very low -calorie diet (VLCD)—A term used by
nutritionists to classify weight-reduction diets that
allow around 800 calories or fewer a day.Anne Collins weight loss program