Updated: June 15, 2010

By Christa Fletcher

Ever wonder why there's always new diet craze? While the answer to that question might be simple, the true question is - do these fad diets work?

A recent study led by the Harvard School of Public Health and Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana, suggests that low-carb or low-fat diets aren't the answer to the growing obesity problem in the U.S.

"The hidden secret is it doesn't matter if you focus on low-fat or low-carb," said Dr. Elizabeth Nabel, director of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

What's the bottom line? The lead researcher of the study, Dr. Frank Sacks says, "They just need to focus on how much they're eating." If people can find healthy diets they like, by simply monitoring their calorie intake, they will see results.

Save yourself a belly ache of disappointment. Get the facts from nutritionists and trainers on fad diets like Atkins, The South Beach Diet and The Master Cleanse by checking out our Fad Diet Buster.