Very low calorie diets are less likely to be nutritionally complete as they provide far fewer calories than needed to maintain a healthy weight. The recommended daily calories are 2,500 for men and 2,000 for women.

It is not an easy diet to follow. Side effects can include:

feeling hungry
feeling low on energy
a dry mouth
constipation or diarrhoea
headaches
dizziness
cramps
hair thinning
While very low calorie diets can lead to short term weight loss, it is likely that the weight will come back on after the diet ends.

Very low calorie diets are not a long-term weight management strategy and should only be used as part of a wider plan.