How well does it conform to accepted dietary guidelines?

Fat. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that 20 to 30 percent of daily calories come from fat. Weight Watchers is within that range.

Protein. It’s within the acceptable range for protein consumption.

Carbohydrates. It’s within the acceptable range for carb consumption.

Salt. The majority of Americans eat too much salt. If you adhere to the diet, and get the recommended daily servings of fruits, vegetables, and dairy, while skipping processed food, Weight Watchers says you’ll be in line with the government’s suggested sodium cap of 2,300 milligrams a day, or 1,500 mg. daily if you’re 51 or older, African-American, or have hypertension, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease. Of course, exactly how much salt you consume depends on which foods you select.

Other key nutrients. The 2010 dietary guidelines call these “nutrients of concern” because many Americans get too little of one or more of them:

Fiber. Most Americans need about 20 to 35 grams of fiber a day. While Weight Watchers dieters shape their own menus, company materials offer guidance on how to reach a healthy amount. For example, an orange, which has 3 grams of fiber, is better than a glass of orange juice, which has less than half a gram.

Potassium. A sufficient amount of this important nutrient, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, counters salt’s ability to raise blood pressure, decreases bone loss, and reduces the risk of kidney disease. It’s not easy to get the recommended daily 4,700 mg. from food. (Bananas are high in potassium, yet you’d have to eat 11 a day.) Most Americans take in far too little. Exactly how much you get on Weight Watchers depends on what you choose to eat. But the company recommends adding “potassium powerhouses” to your meals, such as layering avocado on sandwiches, adding dried apricots to rice salads, or blending orange juice into smoothies.

Calcium. It’s essential not only to build and maintain bones but to make blood vessels and muscles function properly. Many Americans don’t get enough. Women and anyone older than 50 should try especially hard to meet the government’s recommendation of 1,000 mg. to 1,300 mg. per day. How much you get on Weight Watchers will vary depending on your food choices, but you should be able to meet the goal with low-fat dairy products and calcium-fortified juices and cereals.

Vitamin B-12. Adults should shoot for 2.4 micrograms per day of this nutrient, which helps make DNA. How much you get on Weight Watchers depends on your meals, but meeting the standard is doable. Make sure your grocery additions include yogurt, which is a good source of the vitamin.

Vitamin D. Adults who don’t get enough sunlight need to meet the government’s 15- microgram recommendation with food or a supplement to lower the risk of bone fractures. You’ll get enough on Weight Watchers. After you’ve weaned yourself off the program, eating just 3 ounces of sockeye salmon, which packs about 20 micrograms of vitamin D, will satisfy the daily requirement.

Supplement recommended? Yes. Weight Watchers suggests taking a daily multivitamin to ensure you’re getting enough calcium, zinc, magnesium, iron, vitamin B-12, and other important nutrients. A 2008 study in the Nutrition Journal that pitted Weight Watchers against Slim-Fast, Eat Yourself Slim, and a variation of Atkins, found that after two months, Weight Watchers dieters experienced declines in recommended daily intake of riboflavin, niacin, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc, though they didn’t necessarily dip below recommended levels. Despite the drop, the researchers said intake remained above the suggested level for most nutrients.

Weight Watchers Diet