Study Finds Conclusive Evidence One-Size-Fits-All Diets Don’t Work

An individualised nutrition plan may soon be a reality. - by Lucy Bode

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Unlike ponchos and plane pyjamas, the one-size-fits-all approach should not be applied to diets. In fact, a new study suggests it could be the reason why you haven’t seen success with your weight loss goals.

Scientists recruited 1,100 adults across the US and UK and tested their blood sugar levels before and after eating. Despite chowing down on identical meals (muffins for brekkie and sandwiches for lunch), no two participants had the same results – even though 60 per cent of them were identical twins.

“Even we were surprised by the results” Tim Spector, an epidemiologist and professor at King’s College in London and the study’s lead author told Business Insider. “Just because some diet or recommendation is out there doesn’t mean that you fit it. We should be personalising diets and not just trying to squeeze everyone into the same shoe size.”

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So, what does this mean exactly? Well, rather than sticking to blanket dietary guidelines in an effort to slim down– e.g. cutting out carbs or going keto – the researchers suggest finding out what *actually* works for you. This can be done by recording how your body responds to certain foods which, admittedly, requires some trial and error. That said, Tim is currently in the process of developing an at-home glucose monitoring kit exactly for this purpose. (His nutritional company, Zoe, has already raised $27 million US from investors.)

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Bottom line? Shop around when it comes to your diet plan and know that if something isn’t working, it probably won’t.

Lucy Bode

Lucy is WH’s Digital Editor, Features Writer, social media guru and resident woo. A long black lover and foodie at heart, she considers peanut butter an hourly staple and believes chardonnay is the superior drop. When she's not at the beach, barre or yoga studio you'll find her coming up with new and improved ways to kill her unkillable houseplants