The government-endorsed Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Diet has been ranked Best Overall Diet and Best Diabetes Diet by the U.S. News & World Report, known for its rankings on the country’s best colleges and hospitals.

The DASH diet, formed by the National Health, Lung and Blood Institute, aims to prevent and lower high blood pressure through eating foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy. Reducing the amount of sodium and fat intake is also advised. High blood pressure can trigger heart disease, heart failure or stroke.

Based on a 2,000 calorie-a-day diet, those on the DASH diet should consume approximately six to eight servings of whole grains, four to five servings of vegetables, four to five servings of fruit, two to three servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy and six or fewer servings of lean meats, fish and poultry. Additionally, dieters should consume four to five servings weekly of nuts, seeds and legumes and fewer than five servings weekly of sweets and added sugars.

The key nutrients emphasized in the diet are fiber, potassium, calcium, vitamin B12 and vitamin D.

Mary Width, registered dietitian, published author and senior lecturer in the Wayne State Coordinated Program in Dietetics, said the DASH diet is deserving of its rank because of its numerous health benefits and protections against cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis.

“Many people also shed unwanted pounds when following the DASH diet because the guidelines for the diet help people to make healthier food choices,” Width said. “The DASH is a lifelong approach to healthy eating, not just a ‘fad diet,’ so it deserves its No. 1 ranking.”

Other studies that were ranked highly by the U.S. News & World Report included Weight Watchers, Best Weight-Loss Diet and Best Commercial Diet Plan; the Mediterranean diet, No. 2 Diet Overall; the Mayo Clinic diet, No. 2 Diabetes Diet; and the Ornish diet, Best Heart-Healthy Diet. Twenty diets in total were ranked.

“To be top-rated, a diet had to be relatively easy to follow, nutritious, safe and effective for weight loss and against diabetes and heart disease,” according to the U.S. News & World Report website.

WSU senior lecturer and Coordinated Program in Dietetics program director Tonia Reinhard said that the DASH diet has been modified from adding fruits and vegetables to also adding fish and lean meat.

“I think now what we’re looking at is reducing the intake of those yummy, carb-filled foods that don’t really give you fiber or those other nutrients that you find in whole grains, reducing those sources of carbohydrates and increasing the carbohydrates that come from fruits, veggies and legumes,” Reinhard said.

A study recently published in the Archive of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine found the DASH diet may help teenage girls gain less weight.

The study followed 2,237 9- and 10-year-old girls for 10 years. Participants who adhered to the DASH diet had the lowest body mass index throughout and at the end of the study. Girls who gained the least weight had the highest DASH scores and ate more fruits, low-fat dairy products and whole grains.

Reinhard, also the Director of Communications for the Michigan Dietetic Association and author of several books, including her most recent, “Superfoods: The Healthiest Foods on the Planet,” said the DASH diet is a sensible diet that has several positive benefits.

“How many more studies do we need to know that higher intakes of fruits and veggies improve so many aspects of health? It’s the high intakes of dairy, fruits and veggies that are the basis of the DASH diet,” Reinhard said. “All those fruits and veggies, we know, are positive for phytochemicals [and] antioxidants … and maybe there are some benefits to [fight] things like cancer.”

The U.S News & World Report took long-term weight loss, short-term weight loss, simplicity, nutrition and safety into consideration when ranking the diets.

The Paleo Diet, which eliminates sugar, dairy, legumes and grains from the diet, received low scores on all factors. The Atkins Diet, a low-carb diet that aims to help dieters lose weight fast, also received unfavorable scores in many factor categories, including heart health, nutrition and safety.

“Most diets that cause you to lose large amounts of weight in a short period do so because they are very low calorie and usually limit or eliminate entire food groups,” Width said. “Drastically cutting calories and eliminating food groups is not healthy for many reasons, including loss of essential vitamins and minerals, dehydration, lowered metabolism, fatigue from lack of energy and possible loss of muscle mass versus fat as your body begins to break down your muscle for the calories it needs.”

Even though college students are constantly on-the-go, Reinhard said they can still follow a sensible diet and receive all their daily recommended nutrients. Reinhard packs produce such as baby carrots and miniature peppers, which are full in nutrients and low in calories. She also said she puts a liquid protein into her drink to fulfill her daily protein requirements.

The obesity epidemic, according to both Reinhard and Width, can be attributed to declining metabolic rates, sedentary lifestyle, large portions, fast food and aging.

“When you get older, your life is more complicated, and you might not have the time to pay attention to nutrition,” Reinhard said. “I haven’t been in the Student Center lately, but we used to call it “Slop Food Row” because it’s just restaurant after restaurant. Like really, this is all we have? And those things taste and smell good, and they’re quick and easy.”

Width offered some advice to help dieters get healthy and, if needed, lose weight.

“The majority of your meals should be made up of vegetables, fruits and whole grain, with a small portion of protein food and some dairy as well, if tolerated. There are no ‘bad foods’ per say, but the saying ‘Everything in moderation’ goes a long way when trying to lose weight and improve health,” she said. “High fat, high sugar and high calorie foods do not have to be totally eliminated from your diet, but they should be limited in quantity and frequency…A healthy diet is about using your common sense.”