person eats a diet that is high in processed foods and
low in nutrients. However, the question of whether
fasting can remove these toxins has yet to be conclu-
sively answered. It is accepted that fasting is not a safe
or effective method of weight loss.
Most medically supervised meal replacement
liquid diets are generally accepted. Some doctors ques-
tion whether more traditional weight loss methods are
better in some cases of less extreme obesity, but it is
generally believed that the risks and side effects of
these programs are outweighed by the benefits for
those for whom they are usually prescribed.
There are many commercially available liquid
diets for weight loss and their acceptance depends
upon the brand and its program. Brands that include
regular food, at least 1200 calories each day, and some
kind of exercise recommendations, like Slim Fast, are
more accepted than programs that are very low in
calories and do not include exercise, such as the Holly-
wood Celebrity Miracle Diet.Resources
BOOKS
The New Liquid Diets - For Oprah, maybe, but probably not
for you.Indianapolis, IN: Benjamin Franklin Literary
And Medical Society, 2005.
Shannon, Joyce Brennfleck ed.Diet and Nutrition Source-
book.Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics, 2006.
Willis, Alicia P. ed.Diet Therapy Research Trends.New
York: Nova Science, 2007.
ORGANIZATIONS
American Dietetic Association. 120 South Riverside Plaza,
Suite 2000, Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995. Telephone:
(800) 877-1600. Website:<http://www.eatright.org>
OTHER
‘‘Liquid Diet’’The Diet Channel2007.<http://www.
thedietchannel.com/Liquid-Diet.htm>(April 3, 2007).Helen DavidsonLow-carb dietsseeHigh-fat/low carb diets
Low-cholesterol diet
Definition
A low cholesterol diet is a diet designed to reduce
the amount of cholesterol circulating in the blood.Origins
No single person originated the low cholesterol
diet. However, the American Heart Association has
been a major developer of this diet. The National
Cholesterol Education Program organized by the
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute monitors
research and new developments in cholesterol control,
including new approaches to low cholesterol dieting.Description
The low cholesterol diet is designed to lower an
individual’s cholesterol level. Cholesterol is a waxy
substance made by the liver and also acquired through
diet. Cholesterol does not dissolve in blood. Instead it
moves through the circulatory system in combination
with carrier substances called lipoproteins. There are
two types of carrier-cholesterol combinations, low-
density lipoprotein (LDL) or ‘‘bad’’ cholesterol and
high-density lipoprotein or ‘‘good’’ cholesterol.
LDL picks up cholesterol in the liver and carries it
through the circulatory system. Most of the choles-
terol in the body is LDL cholesterol. When too much
LDL cholesterol is present, it begins to drop out of the
blood and stick to the walls of the arteries. The arteries
are blood vessels carrying blood away from the heart
to other organs in the body. The coronary arteries are
special arteries that supply blood to the heart. The
sticky material on the artery walls is called cholesterol
plaque. (It is different from dental plaque that accu-
mulates on teeth.) Plaque can reduce the amount of
blood flowing through the arteries and encourage
blood clots to form. A heart attack occurs if theCholesterol levelsTotal Cholesterol
Desirable 200
Borderline high 200–239
High 240
LDL Cholesterol (bad)
Optimal 100
Near/above optimal 100–129
Borderline high 130–159
High 160–189
Very high 190
HDL Cholesterol (good)
Low 40
High 60SOURCE: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National
Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services(Illustration by GGS Information Services/Thomson Gale.)Low-cholesterol diet