25/06/2025
5 years ago Dr Alan Howard, the inventor of the Cambridge Diet, died peacefully aged 91 years old.
Dr Howard’s interest in obesity began from his own personal experience of being overweight and unhealthy in his 30s. 1970s he began his work looking to create what he called ‘The Perfect Diet’ at a time when little research was being done.
Throughout the decade several ground-breaking clinical trials took place proving the safety and efficacy of Dr Howard’s very low-calorie diet formulation. In 1979 Dr Howard’s patents were licensed to a US company and the Cambridge Diet was launched to great success in 1980.
1982 he created the Howard Foundation. This is a charitable trust supporting bio-medical research at the University of Cambridge, and which has provided three buildings at Downing College between 1987 and 2009. Many UK Consultant and International Distributor events have been held in the College over the years.
After the success of the Diet in the US, Dr Howard, through the Howard Foundation, was inspired to launch the brand and business in the UK in 1984, alongside his brother Roger Howard and with his son Jon Howard as the very first UK Counsellor.
It was also a great success. 1985 Denmark became the first overseas market and the same time production moved to Phoenix Foods in Corby. 1990 the Foundation purchased Phoenix Foods and renamed it Cambridge Manufacturing. Although greatly expanded, the company remains headquartered on the same site today.
I have toured this factory many times with my Team ❤️
In 2005, the Howard Foundation sold the Cambridge Diet business to a management buyout.
Dr Howard published over 250 original articles in medical literature and authored and edited eight major books on coronary heart disease and obesity. He was also co-founder of the International Journal of Obesity. I am personally grateful to him as his work has changed my life and enabled me to help support thousands more.
