Company Statements to 'GMA' on Consumer Reports Diet Rankings

— -- This morning on "Good Morning America," you saw a story about Consumer Reports' analysis of popular diets.

The diet companies provided the following statements:

We are disappointed some key points in the JAMA study used prominently by Consumer Reports in their evaluation of the Jenny Craig program were left unsaid. The JAMA study, Effect of a Free Prepared Meal and Incentivized Weight Loss Program on Weight Loss and Weight Loss Maintenance in Obese and Overweight Women, was done to see what happens if you provide people with free food (valued at $6000 over the two years) and other perks on their ability to lose weight. This is hardly the real life scenario that a consumer faces when choosing a weight-loss method. Weight Watchers advocates and teaches how to live in the real world. With Weight Watchers, people learn to make smart choices - including an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains - all foods encouraged in the Weight Watchers program and advice recommended by the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Although there are more than 60 studies on Weight Watchers lifestyle approach, Consumer Reports did not include those in its analysis because we recently launched a major upgrade. Clinical data on the new PointsPlus Program are in the process of being published.

We were pleased to be rated as Consumer Report's best rated diet. This news confirms what we have always known: that Jenny Craig's clinically proven, comprehensive approach to weight management works. Jenny Craig's personalized, food-body-mind approach paired with weekly one-on-one consultations helps clients create a healthy relationship with food and a balanced approach to living.

A recent two-year study published in JAMA (the Journal of American Medical Association) showed that 92 percent of participants who stuck with the Jenny Craig program lost 10% of their body weight in one year, and had minimal regain at the two-year mark. This, coupled with Jenny Craig's personal counseling and food supplemented with fresh fruits and vegetables, gave Jenny Craig an edge over the other weight loss programs.

- Patti Larchet, CEO, Jenny Craig

Dr. Barry Sears, creator of the Zone Diet, said, "The Zone Diet is proud to be selected by Consumer Reports as one of the Best Diets." Whether preparing meals at home to Zone specifications or purchasing Zone Foods at ZoneDiet.com, the Zone Diet is designed to reduce inflammation that is at the core of America's obesity crisis. As the leading anti-inflammatory diet, the Zone Diet is as simple as 1-2-3: for every one gram of fat, you should consume two grams of protein, and three grams of carbohydrates. The Zone foods are online at www.ZoneDiet.com. , which offers healthy Zone foods that people like to eat, including pasta, pastries, bagels, bread and cookies, each with a 1-2-3 composition coupled with great taste.

In evaluating weight loss diets, it's important to consider health, not just weight loss. It's hard to understand why Consumer Reports would rate a Slim Fast diet (based on powdered shakes and processed food bars) so highly.