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Beware of Quick-Fix Diets

Today it's the Dr. Atkin's diet; tomorrow it's the Beverly Hills Diet. Fad diets go in and out of style like bell-bottoms. Can trendy diets deliver results? According to Diane Quagliani, MBA, registered dietitian (RD), a national media spokesperson for The American Dietetic Association, the answer is no.

"Fad diets are a short-term, quick-fix approach to weight loss that don't work over the long haul," Quagliani said. "Food choices are often monotonous, and caloric intake may be very restricted so that once the novelty wears off, so does the motivation to continue."

Well over 50 million Americans are currently on a diet. Health professionals agree Americans are too fat, but there is no clear consensus on the best way to lose weight and keep it off. However, Quagliani says, "Nutrition experts (RDs) agree that fad diets aren't the answer."

Unfortunately, too many Americans are following fad diets and stand little chance of keeping lost weight off. The most notable fad diets often promote high protein and low carbohydrate intake. These diets are nothing more than well-disguised, low-calorie diets with some potentially serious health consequences. According to Sachiko St. Jeor, PhD, RD, Director of the Nutrition Education and Research Program at the University of Nevada School of Medicine, "following these diets can result in dehydration, diarrhea, weakness, headaches, bad breath and dizziness and over the long term, can also increase risk of atherosclerosis and osteoporosis."

What are some of the fad diets-of-the-moment that fall into this "quick-fix" category to avoid? Juice fasts, food-combining diets, the Grapefruit diet, the "Mayo Clinic" diet and the Cabbage Soup diet. Beware of the following fad diet books too:Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet, Sugar Busters!, Protein Power, Fit for Life, The New Beverly Hills Diet and Eat Right 4 Your Type.

Following a fad diet may seem trendy. You might see short-term weight loss while following one, but many are not based on scientific research, rather on anecdotal findings, theories and testimonials. In some cases, they might be harmful to your health.

So, why do consumers keep falling into the fad diet trap? Mary Jane Detroyer, MS, RD, a nutrition and exercise consultant in New York City, says, "It's a mental state. They don't want to have to deal with behavior change; they don't want to have to think about it." Because of this "state," she adds, "they tire of the (fad) diets like the garments they wear."

Plus, most of these quick-fix diets lack an essential component of weight loss advice --exercise. According to Detroyer, exercise is indeed the key. She firmly suggests in order to lose weight and, more importantly, keep it off, you need to change body composition. In order to change that, you need to change metabolism.

How can consumers change metabolism? There's one clear-cut answer -- exercise. Though Detroyer doesn't endorse any fad diet, she says, "If people were able to exercise with these fad diets, they probably would be able to keep weight off long-term."

How do you know if a diet is a fad? Since quackery is not always easy to spot, check out the "10 Red Flags of 'Junk' Science" to help you evaluate a diet you or someone you know might be following. Some practical advice from Quagliani: "Compare the diet's advice to the 10 Red Flags. Steer clear if the diet raises even one red flag."

The bottom line on diets

Many RDs agree that gradual and enjoyable changes in eating and physical activity habits are the route to lasting weight management success. Quagliani says, a key is customizing these changes to suit each person -- something fad diets don't do. So, don't compromise your health. Stick to the old-fashioned advice of eating right -- the Food Guide Pyramid way -- and exercising most days of the week for changes that will last a lifetime. Quagliani agrees, and adds, "It's not sexy advice, but it works."

For further weight management advice, seek the advice of a nutrition expert. To find a registered dietitian in your area, visit The American Dietetic Association's web site: http://www.eatright.org.

The 10 Red Flags of 'Junk' Science

Recommendations that promise a quick fix.
Dire warnings of danger from a single product or regimen.
Claims that sound too good to be true.
Simplistic conclusions drawn from a complex study.
Recommendations based on a single study.
Dramatic statements that are refuted by reputable scientific organizations.
Lists of "good" and "bad" foods.
Recommendations made to help sell a product.
Recommendations based on studies published without peer review.
Recommendations from studies that ignore differences among individuals or groups.

Released by FANSA (Food and Nutrition Science Alliance), September, 1995. FANSA represents members of The American Dietetic Association, American Institute of Nutrition, American Society for Clinical Nutrition, and the Institute of Food Technologists.

To see the USDA Food Guide Pyramid go to: http://www.nal.usda.gov:8001/py/pmap.htm

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