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Fad Diets: What You May Be Missing
The American Dietetic Association
Food-specific diets rely on the myth that some foods have special properties that can cause weight loss or gain. But
no food can. These diets don't teach healthful eating habits; therefore, you won't stick with them. Sooner or later, you'll
have a taste for something else - anything that is not among the foods you've been "allowed" on the diet.
The popular high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets are based on the idea that carbohydrates are bad, that many people
are "allergic" to them or are insulin-resistant, and therefore gain weight when they eat them. The truth is that people
are eating more total calories and getting less physical activity, and that is the real reason they are gaining weight.
These high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets tend to be low in calcium and fiber, as well as healthy phytochemicals
(plant chemicals). Some authors of these fad diets advise taking vitamin-mineral supplements to replace lost
nutrients. However, supplements should "bridge the gap" in healthy eating and not be used as a replacement for
nutrient-rich foods.
Also, the authors of high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets advocate taking advantage of ketosis to accelerate weight
loss. Ketosis is an abnormal body process that occurs during starvation due to lack of carbohydrate. Ketosis can
cause fatigue, constipation, nausea, and vomiting. Potential long-term side effects of ketosis include heart disease,
bone loss, and kidney damage.
Healthy lifestyle tips for losing weight and keeping it off
Successful weight loss (losing weight and keeping it off for at least five years) is accomplished by making positive
changes to both eating habits and physical activity patterns.
How can you spot a fad diet?
Weight-loss advice comes in literally hundreds of disguises. Most often the "new" and "revolutionary" diets are really
old fad diets making an encore appearance. Examples of fad diets include those that
tout or ban a specific food or food group
suggest that food can change body chemistry
blame specific hormones for weight problems
Ten Red Flags That Signal Bad Nutrition Advice:
Recommendations that promise a quick fix
Dire warnings of dangers 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
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