Kate Middleton is not just the top trending topic for her royal marriage. Her slim figure at 5"10 height has also stirred people across the world, especially those who are having a hard time shedding off pounds.

With its phenomenal 10-year long of success in France, the Dukan diet is expected to hit the United Kingdom and the United States, with hopes of reducing the obesity problems.

Kate Middleton and her mother are not just the famous individuals who have reportedly followed the diet and lost weight. Jennifer Lopez, Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman have all reportedly maintained a slender body due to Dukan's restrictive diet plan. Even the Lady Elizabeth of Anson has been told of the French's doctor's diet secret. No doubt, many nourish the desire to have their desirable physical figure through following high-protein diet, Dukan's primary advocacy.

Dukan Diet Plan

Dr. Pierre Dukan's said he came across the weight loss plan 35 years go. However, it was not until after decades when he perfected the plan. His diet program consists of high consumption of protein in the first phase. Vegetables are introduced in the second phase, while slices of bread and a serving of fruit are allowed in the third, and fourth phase provides dieters freedom to eat whatever their heart desires as long as they continue to retain the protein-only foods one whole day a week.

But Is It For You?

David Levitsky, a professor of Nutritional Sciences and Psychology at Cornell University said on his Web site publication that Dukan diet is another "salesman's dream" dietary approach to a quick weight loss program.

"Studies repeatedly show that the way these diets work is by reducing calories through elimination of certain foods."

Frank Sacks, a professor of Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at the Harvard University told media in an interview that Dukan diet is just another fad diet.

"This is just another one of those diets invented by a charismatic individual who makes a lot of promises and has loads of testimonials, but is not based on any scientific data whatsoever."

Levitzky warned that high-protein diet does not have permanent weight loss effects as dieters will re-gain the lost weight several months after they rapidly shed off extra fats.

Pierre Dukan announced that among people who adhered to his dietary regimen, 40 per cent of them did not gain the weight back. What this figure entails is a stark difference of 60 per cent of those dieters who did gain their weight back.

The Dangers of High-Protein Diet

Katherine Zeratsky, a certified dietician by American Dietetic Association and State of Minnesota warned that high-protein diets with restrictive carbohydrate intake may lead to nutritional deficiencies like diverticulitis and constipation and increase the risk of developing certain cancers.

The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition published the findings of AHA Nutrition Committee's report after studying high-protein weight loss diets.

"Individuals who follow these (high protein) diets are (at) risk for potential cardiac, renal, bone, and liver abnormalities overall."

Meanwhile, the Nurses' Health Study by Dr. Frank Speizer and Nurses' Health Study II by Dr. Walter Willett are two most definitive long-term epidemiological studies initiated on older women's health. Its 100,000 participants were divided between low-carb and high-protein diet groups. The group following the low-carb diet-- especially sourced from vegetables-- has been found to have low mortality hazard ratio of 0.8. In comparison, the group that followed a high-protein diet particularly from animal meat has a hazard ratio of 1.1

The JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute published a report on protein intake and the risk of renal cancer.

"Significantly increased risks of renal cell cancer were observed with increasing consumption of several food groups, including red meat (P for trend =.05), high-protein foods (P =.01), and staple (grains, breads, and potatoes) foods (P =.009). When examined by macronutrient status, risks increased monotonically with the amount of protein intake, from 1.2 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.7-1.9) to 1.4 (95% CI = 0.8-2.5) and 1.9 (95% CI = 1.0-3.6) (P for trend =.03) in the second, third, and fourth quartiles of intake, respectively, after adjustment for age, sex, caloric intake, body mass index, and cigarette smoking."