One of the forerunners of the sudden boom in the diet industry is the South Beach Diet. Since its birth as diet program for the people with heart problems in a small clinic in South Beach (you guessed it!), the diet has gained a lot of following across the country.

One of the forerunners of the sudden boom in the diet industry is the South Beach Diet. Since its birth as diet program for the people with heart problems in a small clinic in South Beach (you guessed it!), the diet has gained a lot of following across the country.

The South Beach diet is a diet plan started by Miami, Florida, area cardiologist Arthur Agatston which emphasizes the consumption of "good carbohydrates" and "good fats". Dr. Agatston developed this diet for his cardiac patients based upon his study of scientific dieting research. The diet first appeared in a book of the same name published by Rodale Press. The official website of the diet can be found at South Beach Diet Online.Dr. Agatston believes that excess consumption of so-called "bad carbohydrates", such as the rapidly-absorbed carbohydrates found in foods with a high glycemic index, creates an insulin resistance syndrome—an impairment of the hormone insulin's ability to properly process fat or sugar. In addition, he believes along with many physicians that excess consumption of "bad fats", such as saturated fat and trans fat, contributes to an increase in cardiovascular disease. To prevent these two conditions, Agatston's diet minimizes consumption of bad fats and bad carbohydrates and encourages increased consumption of good fats and good carbohydrates.The diet has three phases. In all phases of the diet, Dr. Agatston recommends minimizing consumption of bad fats.