Survey shows Keto diet not as popular as thought

The Keto diet has become one of the most popular diets in recent memory with an emphasis on eating foods with high fat, medium protein and low carbohydrate contents.

Not allowed foods include starchy vegetables, sugary foods, grains, beans, beer and many fruits.

A survey by Dalhousie University and Angus Reid shows only four per cent of Canadians follow the Keto diet plan.

Ten per cent are thinking about doing the diet.

The province with highest percentage of Keto dieters is Alberta at six per cent with Ontario second at a five per cent.

At one per cent Saskatchewan has the lowest rate. In Quebec, 27 per cent have never heard of the keto diet. The diet dropout rate is high with nine per cent of Canadians who tried it quitting – twice the rate who stay with Keto.

The results surprised Sylvain Charlebois, scientific director of Dalhousie’s agri-foods analytics lab. “You cannot avoid Keto-friendly foods these days,” he told Canadian Grocer, “So, one would think many Canadians are on this diet, but four per cent is a very, very low number.”

Of those on the diet, 69 per cent want to lose weight and 48 per cent are concerned about their health. Fifteen per cent went Keto after a recommendation from a friend while five per cent were encouraged by a celebrity on TV.

Thirty-four per cent felt the high meat requirement made the diet too expensive while 24 per cent felt it took too much time. Ten per cent felt it was too confusing.