Cost Benefit Analysis of Popular Diets

The increase in obesity in recent years has led to the creation of numerous diets claiming to induce weight loss and improve overall health. While all diets claim to be the best, it is difficult to determine which diet provides the most utility given the costs of participation. These diets have varying scientific evidence to support the claims made and participants have mental, temporal, and financial costs associated with each. This thesis examines each diet and the costs and benefits associated with each. The benefits of the diet were researched, and scientific evidence was recorded. The mental and temporal costs were determined by a one-week personal trial. The financial costs were calculated using the HEB website and meal plans provided by the text. The scientific evidence, personal data, and financial data were compared for each diet to determine which diet provides the most utility for the lowest cost. The Volumetrics diet was found to have the most scientific evidence to support the benefits, the lowest mental and temporal costs, and the lowest cost to participate in long-term.Nutritional Science