The Skinny on Fad Diets

Over 50% of Americans are overweight, and China seems to be following suit. China’s first official nutrition and health survey shows that between 1992 and 2002 more than 60 million Chinese became obese. Around 200 million in the country are thought to be overweight – 22.8% of the population – and 60 million (7.1%) obese.

America’s growing waistline fuels its $40 billion dollar per year diet industry. This includes diet books, diet foods and weight loss gimmicks. I am here to debunk the popular diet myths.

Current fad diets emphasize a fast weight loss that usually requires fasting, eliminates certain food groups, and necessitates supplementation. There are usually promises of success for everyone, rather than tailoring the program to individual needs. Such fad diets include the Atkins diet, the South Beach diet, and the Sugar Busters.

The Atkins Diet is arguably one of the most famous fad diets. The program restricts carbohydrates and focuses on protein and fat intake instead, with the use of vitamin/mineral supplements. It claims to alter the body’s metabolism by burning fat while building muscle mass. Major restrictions of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and low-fat dairy contradict everything we know about health promotion and disease prevention. The high amount of saturated fats may increase you risk for heart disease. In the end, you are essentially starving yourself.

The South Beach diet is comprised of 3 phases. Phase 1 bans all fruits, bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, baked goods, and claims you will lose between 8-13 lbs in the first 2 weeks. Phases 2 & 3 slowly reintroduce “good” carbs (fruits, whole grains), claiming a weight loss of 1-2 lbs per week. The theory behind South Beach is that the faster sugars/starches are digested, the more weight you gain. Based off this theory, South Beach causes weight loss because it is a low-calorie diet plan. However, such deprivation of calories limits the quality and quantity of nutrients and slows the metabolism, thereby causing a more rapid weight gain when “off” the diet.

Sugar Busters claims that all sugars are “toxic” and will cause our bodies to store sugar as fat. There simply is no scientific evidence to back this theory when people with normal pancreatic function consume carbohydrates. Eliminating carbohydrates completely is dangerous. Your body will simply not get enough fiber, calcium, vitamins/minerals, and antioxidants.

So, with so many popular fad diets to choose from, why are people still overweight?

Obesity is more likely a result of a decline physical activity and increase in calories, rather than increased carbohydrate consumption alone. Successful weight loss (defined as losing weight and keeping it off for at least 5 years) is achieved by making positive changes to both eating habits and physical activity patterns.

How can a dietitian help you?

Dietitians can offer you tailored,individualized nutrition counseling. The emphasis will be on improving health rather than focusing on the scale. A “non-diet” diet establishes lifelong habits which then translate to achieving and maintaining a healthier weight.