Quick Fixes Aren’t the Answer for Healthful Weight Control: Learn to Spot Fads and Steer Clear – Then Seek Proven, Long-Term Solutions

Quick Fixes Aren’t the Answer for Healthful Weight Control: Learn to Spot Fads and Steer Clear – Then Seek Proven, Long-Term Solutions

FOR RELEASE JANUARY 17, 2007

Media contact:  Jennifer Starkey, Julia Dombrowski, Tom Ryan
800/877-1600, ext. 4802, 4769, 4894
media@eatright.org

CHICAGO – Dieting is big business – spending on weight-loss products in this country reached $43 billion in 2004. But too many people wind up wasting their hard-earned money on fad diets, unproven products and weight-loss gimmicks that just don’t work. Still, the fads keep coming – and coming back.

“The lure of quick and easy weight loss is hard to resist,” says registered dietitian and American Dietetic Association spokesperson Dee Sandquist. That’s especially true for people who struggle to make changes that will optimize their health. They wind up on fad diets that can be harmful to your health in the long run.”

ADA defines “food fads” as “unreasonable or exaggerated beliefs that eating (or not eating) specific foods, nutrient supplements or combinations of certain foods may cure disease, convey special health benefits or offer quick weight loss.” For National Nutrition Month® and beyond, ADA encourages consumers to go 100% Fad-Free and achieve lifelong success through proven, science-based approaches to weight loss.

“The reality is, no ‘super food’ or diet approach can reverse weight gain resulting from overeating and inactivity. And because most fad diets don’t teach new eating habits and many require you to give up your favorite foods, people usually don’t stick with them,” Sandquist says. She offers the following tips to help evaluate a new product, diet or recommendation:

  • If it sounds too good to be true, it is – especially if the diet or product offers a “quick fix.”
  • Avoid products offering a guaranteed cure or which promote “limited-time offers.”
  • Watch out for products that describe certain foods as “good” or “bad.”
  • Is the source of the information – such as a book author – also trying to sell a product, like supplements?
  • Fad diets may require you to avoid foods or entire food groups. “Countless reputable studies over many years have shown balance and variety are needed for good health. Any diet that requires you to give up whole categories of foods and to take supplements to replace their nutrients is, by definition, unbalanced,” Sandquist says.

“Spending even a small amount of time on the Internet or at the library can tell you much about whether a dietary approach or product is based on science and isn’t just a fad,” Sandquist says. “Are the product’s claims backed up by a body of scientific research rather than just one study – or none at all? Do reputable scientific and professional organizations support the claims?

“If the answers to these questions is no, then you can do better in developing a healthy weight-loss plan that is right for you,” Sandquist says. “A consultation with a registered dietitian is the perfect place to start. A ‘personalized plan’ will provide a balanced approach for long-term success.”
 
With approximately 65,000 members, the American Dietetic Association is the nation’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA serves the public by promoting optimal nutrition, health and well-being. To locate a registered dietitian in your area, visit the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org.

In evaluating a nutrition product, service, treatment or device, ask yourself the following questions drawn from The American Dietetic Association’s Complete Food and Nutrition Guide (3rd ed., Wiley 2006). If your answer to any of these questions is “Yes,” it likely means the claim is too good to be true and you should be suspicious.

  • Does it use scare tactics, emotional appeals or a money-back guarantee, rather than proven results?
    Playing on emotion, misinformation or fear is common among nonscientific pseudo-experts. Watch for terms like “breakthrough” and “miraculous” or claims that certain foods or additives are “poisons.”
  • Does it use non-scientific terms like “revitalize,” “detoxify” or “balance your body with nature”? Does it claim to increase stamina, stimulate your body’s healing power or boost your energy level?
    Words like “detoxify” are not scientific terms. And no product can increase your stamina, strength or
    immunity.
  • Does it offer “proof” based on personal testimonials rather than sound science?
    Nutrition is a science, based on fact, not emotional belief. Be skeptical of case histories and testimonials if they are the only proof a product works.
  • Does it advise supplements as “insurance” for everyone or recommend very large doses of nutrients?
    Not everyone needs a supplement; in fact, taking too much may be harmful. Most healthy people can obtain all the nutrients they need from food. For some people, supplementation is warranted, but that is an individual decision that should be made during consultations with your health-care provider.
  • Does it claim it can “treat,” “cure,” or “prevent” all sorts of health problems, from arthritis to cancer to sexual impotence?
    No product or regimen can treat all that ails you. Even as a credible treatment strategy – such as for diabetes and some forms of cancer – nutrition therapy is typically a part of your overall health care, not the only factor.
  • Does it make unrealistic claims such as “reverse the aging process,” “cure disease” or “quick, easy approach”?
    There are no “magic bullets” when it comes to health. Most health-promoting approaches take some effort. Quackery thrives because people want simple cures and magic ways to change what is imperfect.
  • Does it blame the food supply as the source of health or behavior problems, belittle government regulations or discredit the advice of recognized medical authorities?
    Quacks often criticize these sources, as well as claiming the traditional health community is suppressing their work. They call for “freedom of choice” and promote their unproven techniques as viable alternatives to proven methods. The fact is, you will find choices among well-researched methods.
  • Does it claim its “natural” benefits surpass those of “synthetic” products?
    There is nothing magical or automatically safe about “natural.” From the standpoint of science, the chemical structures of natural and synthetic dietary supplements are essentially the same and the body uses them in the same manner (with the exception of vitamin E; “natural” is more potent than the synthetic form). Even substances found in nature can have natural toxins with potent, drug-like effects.
  • Does it mention a “secret formula” or fail to list ingredients or possible side effects on the label?
    By law, medications must carry product information on their packaging, including ingredients, use, dosage, warnings, precautions and what to do if reactions occur. Products sold through quackery may not report this information, including potential side effects and dangers.


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