WORCESTER, Mass., Oct. 1 -- In a collision of the best-selling weight-loss books, the neovegetarian fare pushed by the Ornish diet earned heart-healthy honors, according to the standards of an index that dices the risks of fats and carbohydrates. The investigators used the Alternate Healthy Eating Index, a Harvard School of Public Health system that refines that the USDA rating system to isolate dietary components that are most strongly linked to cardiovascular disease risk reduction. They found that of a maximum possible 70, the scores for each weight-loss plan from the highest to the lowest were: Ornish: 64.6 Weight Watchers high-carbohydrate: 57.4 New Glucose Revolution (a low glycemic index weight-loss plan): 57.2 South Beach/Phase 2 (lean protein and low-fat dairy, with gradual reintroduction of whole-grain carbohydrates and fruit): 50.7 Zone (reduced carbohydrate, low-energy diet): 49.8 2005 Food Guide Pyramid: 48.7 Weight Watchers high-protein: 47.3 Atkins/100-g carbohydrate: 46 South Beach/Phase 3 (expanded quantity and selection of whole grains and particular fruits and vegetables): 45.6 Atkins/45-g carbohydrate: 42.3. Our source: medpagetoday.com Primary source: Journal of the American Dietetic Association Source reference: Ma Y et al. "A Dietary Quality Comparison of Popular Weight-Loss Plans." J Am Diet Assoc. 2007; 107: 1786-1791. Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.