Madeleine Hull
The Cambridge Diet, now known as the 1:1 Diet, is a very-low-calorie diet that was created by biochemist Dr Alan Howard and his partner Dr Ian McLean-Baird, a consultant at a local hospital. The diet has six steps or variations, starting with Sole Source, which involves consuming 3-4 products totalling 600 kcal per day. The remaining steps involve reintroducing regular meals and reducing the number of Cambridge diet products. The diet is based on meal replacements in the form of shakes, soups, and bars, which are claimed to be nutritionally balanced. While the Cambridge Diet may lead to rapid weight loss, there are concerns about its restrictiveness, potential side effects, and long-term sustainability. It is recommended that individuals do their research and consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new diet plan.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Calorie Intake | Initially, the diet specified an intake of 330 kcal/day, but this has been raised over time to 450 kcal/day, 600 kcal/day, and 800 kcal/day due to health concerns. Modern guidelines recommend not going below 1000 kcal/day for extended periods. |
| Duration | The first 12 weeks are a very low-calorie, deficit-focused phase. |
| Meals | Pre-made, low-calorie meals are purchased from the company, including shakes, soups, bars, noodles, porridge, etc. |
| Stages | The diet has 6 stages or steps, starting with very low-calorie meal replacements and gradually reintroducing regular meals. |
| Support | One-on-one support is provided by independent Cambridge Weight Plan Consultants, who help track progress and provide encouragement. |
| Cost | The weekly cost is based on 3 products a day and a one-to-one session with a consultant. As you move to later steps and eat fewer Cambridge products, the cost decreases. |
| Side Effects | Potential adverse side effects include bad breath, dry mouth, tiredness, dizziness, insomnia, nausea, and constipation. Very low-calorie diets can also lead to sudden death by cardiac arrest. |
| Longevity | The diet is characterized as a fad due to its extreme weight loss and rapid rise and fall in popularity in the 1980s. It is considered unsustainable due to increased appetite and cravings over time. |
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What You'll Learn
The Cambridge Diet is now called the 1:1 Diet
The 1:1 Diet is a very-low-calorie diet with 6 variants or "steps". The first step consists of 3-4 products totalling at least 600 kcal per day. The remaining steps reintroduce regular meals and remove the 1:1 products in various combinations. The final "maintenance" step involves eating a healthy diet plus your choice of Cambridge diet products (approx. 1,200 calories per day) indefinitely.
The Cambridge Diet has been characterised as a fad diet due to its starvation-level calorie intake, extreme weight loss, and rapid rise and fall in popularity in the 1980s. It came under scrutiny from regulators and health authorities after potential health concerns were raised. In 1985, Cambridge Diet Plan paid a six-figure sum to settle a case brought by the family of a 31-year-old woman who had died while following the diet. Modern guidelines state that a diet of less than 1000 kcal/day should not be followed for more than 12 weeks, and a diet of less than 600 kcal/day should be done under medical supervision.
The 1:1 Diet includes personal one-to-one support with a diet consultant to guide you through the different stages. Dieters are given one-on-one support through independent Cambridge Weight Plan Consultants. These certified individuals will encourage and help you track your progress during weekly meetings. On the Cambridge Weight Plan’s website, there is a community forum for users to support each other.
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It's a very-low-calorie diet
The Cambridge Diet is a very-low-calorie diet aimed at rapid weight loss. It was developed in the 1960s and involves a strict regime of meal replacements in the form of shakes, soups, and bars. The diet has been characterised as a "'fad diet'" due to its extremely low-calorie intake, which has led to concerns about its safety. Indeed, the British Dietetic Association has listed possible adverse side effects such as "bad breath, a dry mouth, tiredness, dizziness, insomnia, nausea, and constipation".
When the diet was first launched in 1980, it specified an intake of just 330 calories per day. Due to health concerns, this was later raised to 450 calories per day in 2019 and then to 600 calories per day. Modern guidelines state that a diet of less than 1000 calories per day should not be followed for more than 12 weeks, and a diet of less than 600 calories per day should be done only under medical supervision as very-low-calorie diets can lead to sudden death by cardiac arrest.
The Cambridge Diet has six stages, or "steps", in which the total calories gradually increase from 500 to 1200 calories per day before reaching the maintenance stage. The first step, called "Sole Source", involves eating 3-4 Cambridge diet meal replacements each day, totalling 400-600 calories for up to 12 weeks. The remaining steps reintroduce regular meals and remove the Cambridge products in various combinations.
The Cambridge Weight Plan offers one-on-one support through independent Cambridge Weight Plan Consultants. These certified individuals provide encouragement and help dieters track their progress during weekly meetings. On the Cambridge Weight Plan's website, there is also a community forum for users to support each other and share success stories.
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It's a meal-replacement programme
The Cambridge Diet Plan, now known as the 1:1 Diet, is a meal-replacement programme. It was created by biochemist Dr Alan Howard, who worked at the Dunn Nutrition Laboratory in Cambridge, and his partner Dr Ian McLean-Baird, a consultant at a local hospital. They launched the plan in 1984 as a weight-loss method for those who were clinically obese.
The diet is a calorie-controlled programme aimed at rapid weight loss. It starts as a 12-week, very low-calorie diet consisting of meal replacements in the form of shakes, soups and bars. There are 35 Cambridge diet products, including noodles, porridge, and shakes, all of which are claimed to be nutritionally balanced and 200 calories or fewer. Dieters can choose how many meals they want to replace. The first step consists of 3-4 products totalling at least 600 calories per day. The remaining steps reintroduce regular meals and remove the 1:1 products in various combinations.
The Cambridge Diet Plan offers one-on-one support through independent Cambridge Weight Plan Consultants. These certified individuals will encourage and help track your progress during weekly meetings. On the Cambridge Weight Plan’s website, there is a community forum for users to support each other and share success stories.
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It includes one-to-one support with a consultant
The Cambridge Diet, now called the 1:1 Diet, is a very-low-calorie diet. It involves buying pre-made, low-calorie meals from the company. The diet has six steps or variations, starting with "Sole Source", a very low-calorie diet, and ending with "Maintenance", where you eat regular meals alongside Cambridge diet products. The first step consists of 3-4 products totalling at least 600 calories per day.
The diet includes one-to-one support with a consultant. Dieters are given access to a Cambridge Weight Plan Consultant who will encourage and help them to track their progress during weekly meetings. The consultant will work with the dieter to create an individualised diet plan, providing accountability and helping to increase success rates. The consultant is there to support dieters through the plan and adapt it when required.
The weekly cost of the diet is based on three products a day and a one-to-one session with the consultant. As dieters move off Step 1 to other steps, the price goes down as they are eating fewer Cambridge products. Dieters can expect to pay around £2.78 per meal replacement.
There is a community forum on the Cambridge Weight Plan website for users to support each other, as well as success stories from those who have used the plan.
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It's a costly diet plan
The Cambridge Diet, now called the 1:1 Diet, is a very-low-calorie diet that has been characterised as a fad diet. The diet has six steps or variants, with the first step consisting of 3-4 products totalling at least 600 calories per day. The remaining steps reintroduce regular meals and remove the 1:1 products.
The Cambridge Diet is a costly diet plan. There are a few reasons why people consider it expensive. Firstly, people must buy at least two weeks' worth of products at a time, which can be financially burdensome. Secondly, the cost of the diet plan varies depending on the consultant, and while the company claims it is good value for money, the average cost per week is around £62.79/€78.49 or $70 for three meals a day and a one-to-one consultation. This can be a significant expense, especially when compared to other diet options or regular food shopping.
Additionally, the intensive phase of the diet, which replaces all food, can cost around $115 per week. This phase may not be suitable or necessary for everyone, and some individuals may only need two products per day, reducing the cost to around $70 per week. However, these costs can add up, especially for those who need to follow the diet for an extended period.
The Cambridge Diet also offers one-on-one support through independent Cambridge Weight Plan Consultants, who provide encouragement and help with tracking progress during weekly meetings. While this additional support may be beneficial for some, it is an extra cost to consider.
It is important to note that the cost of the Cambridge Diet may be worth it for those who see positive results and achieve their weight loss goals. However, it is a financial commitment that individuals should consider carefully before starting the diet plan.
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Frequently asked questions
The Cambridge Diet is a calorie-controlled diet aimed at rapid weight loss. It was created by biochemist Dr Alan Howard and his partner Dr Ian McLean-Baird, who worked at the Dunn Nutrition Laboratory in Cambridge. The diet has been criticised for being unsustainable and having adverse side effects.
The diet is a very-low-calorie diet that consists of meal replacements in the form of shakes, soups and bars. It follows six stages, with total calories gradually increasing from around 500 to 1200 kcal per day before reaching the maintenance stage.
The British Dietetic Association lists the possible adverse side effects as including "bad breath, a dry mouth, tiredness, dizziness, insomnia, nausea and constipation". It is also important to note that very-low-calorie diets can lead to sudden death by cardiac arrest.
To start the Cambridge Diet, you can sign up on their website and get paired with a consultant. The weekly cost is based on three products a day and a one-to-one session with your consultant.
