Scarsdale diet
The Scarsdale diet, a high-protein low-carbohydrate fad diet designed for weight loss, was created in the 1970s by Herman Tarnower and named for the town of Scarsdale in Westchester County, New York where he practiced cardiology. The diet was first described in Tarnower's 1978 book The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet. Tarnower wrote the book with self-help author Samm Sinclair Baker.<ref name=NYMAG/>
Overview
The diet is similar to the Atkins diet and Stillman diet in calling for a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet, but also emphasizes the importance of fruits and vegetables.<ref name="Berland 1983">Berland, Theodore. (1983). Rating the Diets. Beekman House. pp. 96-101. Template:ISBN</ref><ref name=Canada>Template:Cite journal</ref> The diet restricts certain foods but allows an unrestricted amount of animal protein, especially eggs, fish, lean meats and poultry.<ref name="Berland 1983"/> The Scarsdale diet is low-calorie, restricted to 1,000 calories per day, and should be followed for seven to fourteen days.<ref name="Gilman 2007"/>
The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet was originally published in 1978<ref>Tarnower, Herman; Samm Sinclair. (1978). The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet Plus Dr. Tarnower's Lifetime Keep-Slim Program. Rawson, Wade Publishers: 1st edition. Template:ISBN</ref> and received an unexpected boost in popular sales when its author, Herman Tarnower, was murdered in 1980 by his jilted lover Jean Harris.<ref name=NYMAG>Template:Cite news</ref> During her trial, Harris' lawyer argued that she had been the book's "primary author".<ref name="Gilman 2007">Gilman, Sander L. (2007). Diets and Dieting: A Cultural Encyclopedia. Routledge. pp. 268-269. Template:ISBN</ref>
Health risks
Medical experts have listed the Scarsdale diet as an example of a fad diet, as it may carry potential health risks and might not instill the kind of healthy eating habits required for sustainable weight loss.<ref name=hodgson>Template:Cite book</ref> Critics claim that it is unbalanced because of the high amount of meat consumed<ref name="Gilman 2007"/> and that the high fat ratio may increase the risk of heart disease.<ref name=fad/> Many who follow the diet can lose much weight at first, but this loss is generally not sustained any better than with normal calorie restriction.<ref name=fad>Template:Cite book</ref>
Nutritionist Elaine B. Feldman has commented that high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets such as the Atkins and Scarsdale diets are nutritionally deficient, produce diuresis and are "clearly unphysiologic and may be hazardous".<ref>Feldman, Elaine B. (1988). Essentials of Clinical Nutrition. F. A. Davis Company. p. 141. Template:ISBN</ref> The Scarsdale diet was criticized by Henry Buchwald and colleagues for "serious nutritional deficiencies".<ref name="Buchwald 2007">Buchwald, Henry; Cowan, George S. M; Pories, Walter J. (2007). Surgical Management of Obesity. Elsevier. p. 85. Template:ISBN</ref> Negative effects of the diet include constipation, nausea, weakness and bad breath cause by ketosis.<ref name="Buchwald 2007"/> The diet has also been criticized for being deficient in vitamin A and riboflavin.<ref>Howard, Elliott J; Roth, Susan A. (1986). Health Risks. Body Press. p. 173. Template:ISBN</ref>