Don’t Fall for the Fad!
(Why fad diets fail)
Sally Kilpatrick, RDN, LD, CDE, CCP
Department of Nutrition and Clinical Patient Education
What is a Fad Diet?
1. Any of a number of weight-reduction diets that either eliminate one or more
of the essential food groups, or recommend consumption of one type of food
in excess or at the expense of other foods; fad diets rarely follow modern
principles for losing weight.
McGraw-Hill Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine. 2002 by the McGraw- Hill Companies, Inc.
2. A nutritional regimen, generally of an extreme nature, intended to produce
results more quickly than a traditional diet-exercise combination; often of a
dubious nature.
Medical Dictionary of the Health Professions and Nursing . Fairfax 2012
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© 2011 Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. For internal use only.
Fad Diet Alert- Steer Clear of These Claims
 Fast, easy weight loss
 Breakthrough miracle
 Banish fat
 Secret formula, new discovery
 Cure
 Balances hormones
 Enzymatic process
 No exercise needed
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Fad Diets Advocate
 Magic or miracle foods/products
 Rapid / easy weight loss
 No exercise
 Rigid menus, “good” vs. “bad” foods, specific food combinations
 A quick fix
 Recommendations based on a single study or studies published
without a peer review
 Dramatic statements refuted by reputable sources
 Recommendations to help sell a specific product
 Claims that sound too good to be true
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Why Fad Diets Don’t Work
 Quick fixes, not permanent solutions
 Can play havoc on your metabolism
 Most fad diets concentrate on food and don’t promote exercise
 Promote fast weight loss which is usually water and muscle.
 Rigid rules and patterns are emphasized with little or no choice
 Often limit key macronutrients such as carbohydrate / fat or promote intake that is low
in needed vitamins and minerals which could create health problems.
 Unrealistic for long-term use
 They do not address the real reasons for becoming overweight in the first place
5 June 2, 2014
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© 2011 Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. For internal use only.
KEY MESSAGE
KEY MESSAGE
Weight loss is rehearsal for how you plan to
keep it off. Practice what you plan to do
while you are losing weight.
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So why do we keep falling for these
diets when we should know better?
Let’s Take a Look at Some Popular Diet
Trends Today
Gluten Free Diets
 Not actually a fad diet, but is being adopted by many people for weight loss
 Primary use- to avoid damaging the small intestines of those with Celiac Disease (the
damage causes poor absorption of nutrients)
 Eliminates the protein gluten found in wheat, rye, and barley
 Why it works: severely limits the types of grains one can eat. If problem foods were
excess starches, then you lose weight.
 Negative Consequences: special gluten free foods are expensive and may be high
in fat, calories or sugar; may cause some to over eat meat and fat to get enough
calories or not to feel hungry; many gluten-free foods are not lower calories, and are
not fortified with important nutrients such as B vitamins, calcium, Vitamin D, and Zinc;
it could impact social and professional life as well as psychological well-being
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High Protein/ Low Carb Diets
 Atkins is perhaps one of the best known. Others include: Sugar busters, Enter the
Zone, Protein Power, The Carbohydrate Addicts LifeSpan Program.
 The diets often are very low carbohydrate (< 40 g/ day), allowing no fruit and only
green vegetables initially. They usually progress to include more vegetables and very
limited fruits like berries.
 The diet is very high protein and often high in unhealthy fats such as saturated fat
from butter, eggs, cheese, and meats.
 Why it works: It causes quick weight loss as the body is forced to use its secondary
energy sources of protein and fat to generate glucose; decreased hunger from
ketosis. It is easy.
 Negative Consequences: low levels of fiber in diet, low energy levels causing
fatigue and irritability, nutrient deficiencies, bad breath, nausea, increased risk of
kidney disease, gout, coronary artery disease, and some cancers. Difficult to follow
long term.
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© 2011 Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. For internal use only.
Paleolithic Diet (Loren Cordain, PhD)
 Often called the caveman or hunter gatherer type diet- lower carbohydrate, higher
protein and higher fat.
 Theory- our bodies are genetically programmed to eat like our paleolithic ancestors.
The advancement of agriculture and processed foods began the increase in obesity,
heart disease, etc.. If the caveman didn’t eat it, neither should we.
 The diet allows no refined sugar, no dairy, no legumes or breads. It is high in lean
meat- grass fed, free range, fish, poultry, fruits and vegetables, high in healthy fats
such as omega-3s.
 Why it works: Get full without processed foods; protein produces high satiety; it is
high in soluble fiber from the fruits and vegetables, high anti-oxidant properties
 Negative Consequences: if you eat high fat meats, could be heart un-healthy, low in
calcium and Vitamin D and B vitamins. Cost is higher as meats and produce are
expensive. Prep time is longer for meals. Difficult to follow for long time periodsavoids all grains and processed foods (sweets)
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© 2011 Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. For internal use only.
Juicing
 Latest craze for weight loss and “detox”- cleansing
 Good source of vitamins and nutrients which can supplement a diet especially if you
don’t really like vegetables and fruits.
 It can allow you to use fruits and vegetables that are about to spoil thereby not
wasting the $
 Why it works: less food intake = less calories
 Negative Consequences: Juicing concentrates the natural sugars and is a higher
source of calories than the whole fruit; most of the vitamins and minerals are in the
pulp and skin; drinking your vegetables means you miss out on the chewing- the
calories are consumed more quickly- you tend to get hungrier sooner; lower fiber;
must be very careful to wash fresh produce and clean the juicing appliance well
between uses;
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Detox Diets
 Popular but are not proven to remove toxins from the body. Your kidneys, liver and
immune system do an amazing job of this on their own.
 Detox diets vary but most start with a time of fasting followed by raw vegetables/ fruit
or juiced versions of vegetables and fruits and water. Some may then add herbs/
supplements and a colon cleansing (enema) to empty the colon.
 Many people report feeling better and more energetic in the short term. This is likely
due to avoidance of heavily processed foods with hard fats and sugar.
 Why it works: less calories, water weight loss in the short run
 Negative Consequences: Usually a rapid weight regain after discontinuing the
cleanse process. Those that require fasting or longer term use can cause fatigue,
inadequate vitamin and mineral intake. An intestinal cleanse could cause
dehydration, cramping, nausea and vomiting, as well as an imbalance of healthy
bacteria.
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Novelty Diets
 These include- Eat Right for Your Blood Type, Chemical Breakdown Diets, Cabbage
Soup Diet, Grapefruit Diet, Fit For Life.
 The premise of these diets vary but promise things like: specific combinations of
foods cause weight loss or your blood type dictates what foods you should eat or
avoid, or specific enzymes in a food burn fat.
 Why they work: most all of these are 1000 kcal or less/ day.
 Negative Consequences: Usually a rapid weight regain after discontinuing the diet
which can not be followed long-term. Many are deficient in calcium, vitamins,
minerals, and even protein, fat and carbohydrates. Fatigue, headaches, and lack of
concentration are apparent after only a short while on these diets.
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What are some of the healthier diets
out there?
Dash Diet
• DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). It was originally designed to
help with blood pressure control, but now has been designated as the best overall
diet for health and weight loss for 4 years in a row. You can find specific guidelines at
www.dashdiet.org.
• The DASH eating plan is rich in fruits, vegetables, fat-free or low-fat milk and milk
products, whole grains, fish, poultry, beans, seeds, and nuts. It contains less salt,
sweets, and red meat than the typical American diet.
• It is lower in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol, and it is rich in nutrients that are
associated with lowering blood pressure—mainly potassium, magnesium, and
calcium, protein, and fiber.
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Mediterranean Diet
•
The Mediterranean diet is a way of eating rather than a formal diet plan. It features
foods eaten in Greece, Spain, southern Italy and France, and other countries that
border the Mediterranean Sea. Not initially touted as a weight loss diet, but can
work to lose weight and control it.
• The Mediterranean diet emphasizes eating foods like fish, fruits, vegetables, beans,
high-fiber breads and whole grains, nuts, and olive oil. Meat, cheese, and sweets
are very limited. Fish is recommended 2 times a week, and meals can be meatless.
• The Mediterranean diet is rich in monounsaturated fats, fiber, and omega-3 fatty
acids. About 35-40% of calories are from fat, so be careful with portions of high fat
foods.
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Plate Method
•
The MyPlate icon is now the nation’s primary
image that is intended to inform Americans how to eat healthy.
•
This symbol serves as a visual reminder of how to eat a balanced meal. Fruits and
vegetables fill half the plate., and grains and protein sources the other half. Dairy is shown
off to the side, but should also be included daily.
•
The website www.ChooseMyPlate.gov is a resource to help you calculate the amount of
calories that you need. It shows the proper number of servings from each food group to have
a well-balanced diet and to reach or maintain a healthy weight.
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Weight Loss – There’s an App for That
My Fitness Pal
Lose It
LifeSum
My Plate by LiveStrong
Calorie counter by Fat Secret
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© 2011 Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. For internal use only.
Weight Management Tips
Aim for slow, healthy weight loss (1/2-2 lbs each week).
Aim for regular meal times.
Eat at least 3 times with your first meal within 1-2 hours of waking.
Eat a healthy snack if there are more than 4-5 hours between meals
Choose smaller portions to reduce calories.
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National Weight Control Registry
Registrants have lost and maintained a weight loss of 30-300 pounds by:
 Altering their diet (98%)
 Eating breakfast every day (78%)
 Exercising regularly, most for about 1 hour each day (90%)
 Watching less than 10 hours of television per week (62%)
 Weighing regularly, at least once a week (75%)
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Additional Helpful Resources
 www.eatright.org (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
 www.heart.org (American Heart Association)
 www.diabetes.org (American Diabetes Association)
 www.webmd.com (reliable nutrition information)
22 June 2, 2014
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© 2011 Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. For internal use only.
Food for Thought
 “Let
food be your medicine and
medicine be your food.” Hippocrates in 400 BC
“Those who do not make time for good nutrition now,
must make time for illness later”- 19th century physician
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Thank you!
Questions?
24 June 2, 2014
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© 2011 Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. For internal use only.