The trend began in America in the Eighties, but it’s finally taking hold here, with Christian weight-loss groups springing up, and dramatically increased sales of ‘spiritual dieting’ books such as What Would Jesus Eat?, Hallelujah Diet and The God Diet.

She is much more impressed by the What Would Jesus Eat? diet, whose author, Dr Don Colbert, has identified a whole new angle on the Mediterranean lifestyle.

Colbert explains: ‘Jesus ate primarily natural foods in their natural states – lots of vegetables, especially beans and lentils. He would have eaten wheat bread, fruit, drunk a lot of water and also red wine. And he would only eat meat on special occasions, maybe once a month.’

‘This diet takes a very sensible approach,’ says Dr Weichselbaum. ‘The staple food would be bread, and food from plant sources, with moderate amounts of proteins.