Physician's guide to popular low-carbohydrate weight-loss diets.

Low-carbohydrate weight-loss diets are very popular, but the recommendations of many of these diets are diametrically opposed to those put forth by the US Department of Agriculture, the American Heart Association, and other national organizations. Their focus on foods high in protein, fat, and cholesterol has potentially serious health implications. Physicians need to be knowledgeable about the efficacy of these programs and to talk to overweight patients about weight loss.