The Cambridge Diet stems from the early 1960's when Dr Alan Howard, then a research scientist at the University of Cambridge, developed an interest in overweight and obesity. He began to investigate methods of weight reduction, using himself as one of the guinea pigs.

Together with Dr Ian McLean-Baird of the West Middlesex Hospital, in 1968 he organised a National Symposium on Obesity, the first ever held in the UK. They went on to a collaborate and develop what they regarded as the’ perfect diet’. Successful trials led to the introduction of the Cambridge Diet.

With Dr McLean-Baird, Alan Howard set up a research project at the West Middlesex Hospital. What they wanted to achieve was the creation of a formula food with:

• the excellent weight loss properties of starvation, but no undesirable side effects the right level of protein to protect lean tissue
• the right level of carbohydrate to promote a mild ketosis and eliminate a sense of hunger
• the right levels of vitamins, minerals, trace elements and essential fatty acids to maintain good health.

The first formula produced excellent weight loss results, and further work by food technologists enhanced flavours and led to the first commercial version of the Cambridge Diet. The effectiveness and safety of this revised formula was tested both in hospital and with outpatients.

This study demonstrated three important factors:

• remarkable weight loss
• patient acceptability and
• patient safety

and led to the Diet becoming more available in obesity clinics in London and Cambridge. Long-term safety was assessed and confirmed by further independent research in the UK, the USA and across Europe. The Cambridge Diet was launched commercially in the USA in 1980 and has been available in the UK since 1984.

The Cambridge Diet Companies
Cambridge Health & Weight Plan and Cambridge Manufacturing Company Limited (CMC) were until recently owned by The Howard Foundation - a charitable trust established by Dr Alan Howard in 1982. The aims of the Foundation are to provide funding for biomedical research in the fields of obesity, nutrition and key areas of health. Further aims include the funding, construction and maintenance of buildings at Downing College, Cambridge University, and the establishment of scholarships for international students.

At the beginning of 2005, Dr Howard made the decision that he wished to pursue other charitable and business interests and expressed the desire to sell CMC. He felt that the best way forward for the company and the Cambridge Diet brand was for it to be offered to the current senior team through a management buyout.

Negotiations were completed in September 2005 and Cambridge Nutritional Foods Ltd, a new company wholly owned by the three managers of CMC (Eileen Skinner, Rob Thompson and John White - who between them have worked within the group for more than 50 years!) acquired the share capital of CMC, together with the trademarks and intellectual property relating to the Cambridge Diet brand.

Cambridge Health & Weight Plan is a trading division of CMC and sells and markets the Cambridge Diet in the UK.
Cambridge Manufacturing Company Limited manufactures and distributes the Cambridge Diet around the world and is based (along with CHWP) in Corby, Northamptonshire, England.