The American Dietetic Association (ADA) has said that a food-based approach to receiving adequate fatty acid levels is recommended, but careful supplementation is a feasible alternative if dietary intake falls short.

In a large (N=322), two-year study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, a low-carbohydrate diet with unrestricted caloric intake (similar to the Atkins diet) and a calorie-restricted Mediterranean diet improved weight loss significantly compared with a calorie-restricted low-fat diet. Men lost more weight on the low-carb diet and women lost more weight on the Mediterranean diet. Both the low-carb and Mediterranean diets improved several metabolic biomarkers of serum lipids and blood sugar compared with the low-fat diet. Compliance to the diets remained high over the two-year trial period (84.6% adherence).

Recent results from a randomized dietary intervention trial indicate that increased intake of antioxidant flavonols commonly found in tea, onions, beans, and apples may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer by as much as 76%.