Low-carb diets prove difficult.(abstracts)(Brief Article)

Despite personal stories touting the effectiveness of low-carb diets, in practice, 50% fewer dieters reach their weight-loss goals on low-carb diets compared to all weight-loss diets in general. In a report from The Hartman Group, The Vanishing Potato: Understanding the World of low-Carb Dieting from a Consumer Perspective, 14% of low-carb dieters noted they quit the diet because they reached their weight-loss goal, compared to 29% of all weight-loss dieters who quit their diet because they had reached their goal. One reason was because of the difficulty of maintaining a low-carb regimen. Some 52% of those who quit a low-carb diet did so because "it was too hard to maintain." This compares to 26% of those who quit all weight-loss diets for that same reason.

"Our research has shown, time and again, that true marketplace change is consumer driven," said the founder, chairman and CEO of The Hartman Group, Harvey Hartman. "'For that reason, it is imperative that the food and beverage industry understand the true consumer behavior that underlies the hype that so often accompanies consumer trends. The low-carb phenomenon is no exception, as our findings indicate."

The Internet survey was conducted in April 2004. A sample of 1,329 adults (18 and older) was drawn from The Hartman Group's online panel of consumers. The Hartman Group, Blanca Hernandez, 425-452-0818, www.hartman-group.com/products/studylowcarb.html