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Facts
About Weight Loss (FDA)
by the Food
and Drug Administration
Looking
for a quick and easy way to lose weight? You're not
alone. An estimated 50 million Americans will go on
diets this year. And while some will succeed in taking
the weight off, very few--perhaps 5 percent--will
manage to keep all of it off in the long run.
One
reason for the low success rate is that many people
look for quick and easy solutions to their weight
problems. They find it hard to believe in this age
of scientific innovations and medical miracles that
an effortless weight-loss method doesn't exist.
So
they succumb to quick-fix claims like "Eat All You
Want and Still Lose Weight!" or "Melt Fat Away While
You Sleep!" And they invest their hopes (and their
money) in all manner of pills, potions, gadgets, and
programs that hold the promise of a slimmer, happier
future.
The
weight-loss business is a booming industry. Americans
spend an estimated $30 billion a year on all types
of diet programs and products, including diet foods
and drinks. Trying to sort out all of the competing
claims--often misleading, unproven, or just plain
false--can be confusing and costly.
Being
obese can have serious health consequences. These
include an increased risk of heart disease, stroke,
high blood pressure, diabetes, gallstones, and some
forms of cancer. Losing weight can help reduce these
risks. Here are some general points to keep in mind:
- Any
claims that you can lose weight effortlessly are
false. The only proven way to lose weight is either
to reduce the number of calories you eat or to increase
the number of calories you burn off through exercise.
Most experts recommend a combination of both.
- Very
low-calorie diets are not without risk and should
be pursued only under medical supervision. Unsupervised
very low-calorie diets can deprive you of important
nutrients and are potentially dangerous.
- Fad
diets rarely have any permanent effect. Sudden and
radical changes in your eating patterns are difficult
to sustain over time. In addition, so-called "crash"
diets often send dieters into a cycle of quick weight
loss, followed by a "rebound" weight gain once normal
eating resumes, and even more difficulty reducing
when the next diet is attempted.
- To
lose weight safely and keep it off requires long-term
changes in daily eating and exercise habits. Many
experts recommend a goal of losing about a pound
a week. A modest reduction of 500 calories per day
will achieve this goal, since a total reduction
of 3,500 calories is required to lose a pound of
fat. An important way to lower your calorie intake
is to learn and practice healthy eating habits.
In
Search of the "Magic Bullet"
Some
dieters peg their hopes on pills and capsules that promise
to "burn," "block," "flush," or otherwise eliminate
fat from the system. But science has yet to come up
with a low-risk "magic bullet" for weight loss. Some
pills may help control the appetite, but they can have
serious side effects. (Amphetamines, for instance, are
highly addictive and can have an adverse impact on the
heart and central nervous system.) Other pills are utterly
worthless.
The
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and a number of state
Attorney General have successfully brought cases against
marketers of pills claiming to absorb or burn fat.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned
111 ingredients once found in over-the-counter diet
products. None of these substances, which include
alcohol, caffeine, dextrose, and guar gum, have proved
effective in weight-loss or appetite suppression.
Beware
of the following products that are touted as weight-loss
wonders:
- Diet
patches, which are worn on the skin, have not been
proven to be safe or effective. The FDA has seized
millions of these products from manufacturers and
promoters.
- "Fat
blockers" purport to physically absorb fat and mechanically
interfere with the fat a person eats.
- "Starch
blockers" promise to block or impede starch digestion.
Not only is the claim unproven, but users have complained
of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pains.
- "Magnet"
diet pills allegedly "flush fat out of the body."
The FTC has brought legal action against several
marketers of these pills.
- Glucomannan
is advertised as the "Weight Loss Secret That's
Been in the Orient for Over 500 Years." There is
little evidence supporting this plant root's effectiveness
as a weight-loss product.
- Some
bulk producers or fillers, such as fiber-based products,
may absorb liquid and swell in the stomach, thereby
reducing hunger. Some fillers, such as guar gum,
can even prove harmful, causing obstructions in
the intestines, stomach, or esophagus. The FDA has
taken legal action against several promoters containing
guar gum.
- Spirulina,
a species of blue-green algae, has not been proven
effective for losing weight.
Phony
Devices and Gadgets
Phony
weight-loss devices range from those that are simply
ineffective to those that are truly dangerous to your
health. At minimum, they are a waste of your hard-earned
money. Some of the fraudulent gadgets that have been
marketed to hopeful dieters over the years include:
- Electrical
muscle stimulators have legitimate use in physical
therapy treatment. But the FDA has taken a number
of them off the market because they were promoted
for weight loss and body toning. When used incorrectly,
muscle stimulators can be dangerous, causing electrical
shocks and burns.
- "Appetite
suppressing eyeglasses" are common eyeglasses with
colored lenses that claim to project an image to
the retina which dampens the desire to eat. There
is no evidence these work.
- "Magic
weight-loss earrings" and devices custom-fitted
to the purchaser's ear that purport to stimulate
acupuncture points controlling hunger have not been
proven effective.
Diet
Programs
Approximately
8 million Americans a year enroll in some kind of structured
weight-loss program involving liquid diets, special
diet regimens, or medical or other supervision. In 1991,
about 8,500 commercial diet centers were in operation
across the country, many of them owned by a half-dozen
or so well-known national companies.
Before
you join such a program, you should know that according
to published studies relatively few participants succeed
in keeping off weight long-term. Recently, the FTC
brought action against several companies challenging
weight-loss and weight-maintenance claims. Unfortunately,
some other companies continue to make overblown claims.
The
FTC stopped one company from claiming its diet program
caused rapid weight loss through the use of tablets
that would "burn fat" and a protein drink mix that
would adjust metabolism. The FTC also took action
against three major programs using doctor-supervised,
very low-calorie liquid diets, and they agreed to
stop making claims unless they could back them up
with hard data. Before
you sign up with a diet program, you might ask these
questions:
- What
are the health risks?
- What
data can you show me that proves your program actually
works?
- Do
customers keep off the weight after they leave the
diet program?
- What
are the costs for membership, weekly fees, food,
supplements, maintenance, and counseling? What's
the payment schedule? Are any costs covered under
health insurance? Do you give refunds if I drop
out?
- Do
you have a maintenance program? Is it part of the
package or does it cost extra?
- What
kind of professional supervision is provided? What
are the credentials of these professionals?
- What
are the program's requirements? Are there special
menus or foods, counseling visits, or exercise plans?
Clues
to Fraud
It
is important for consumers to be wary of claims that
sound too good to be true. When it comes to weight-loss
schemes, consumers should be particularly skeptical
of claims containing words and phrases like:
- easy
- effortless
- guaranteed
- miraculous
- magical
- breakthrough
- new
discovery
- mysterious
- exotic
- secret
- exclusive
- ancient
DHHS
Publication No (FDA)
92-1189
Sensible
Weight Maintenance Tips
Losing
weight may not be effortless, but it doesn't have to
be complicated. To achieve long-term results, it's best
to avoid quick-fix schemes and complex regimens. Focus
instead on making modest changes to your life's daily
routine. A balanced, healthy diet and sensible, regular
exercise are the keys to maintaining your ideal weight.
Although nutrition science is constantly evolving, here
are some generally-accepted guidelines for losing weight:
- Consult
with your doctor, a dietician, or other qualified
health professional to determine your ideal healthy
body weight.
- Eat
smaller portions and choose from a variety of foods.
- Load
up on foods naturally high in fiber: Fruits, vegetables,
legumes, and whole grains.
- Limit
portions of foods high in fat: dairy products like
cheese, butter, and whole milk; red meat; cakes
and pastries.
- Exercise
at least three times a week.
Here
are some intersting new books on dieting. Free shipping
when you buy two or more items from B&N!
 
The Obvious Diet
Your Personal Way to Lose Weight Fast Without Changing
Your Lifestyle
 
What Would Jesus Eat?
The Ultimate Program for Eating Well, Feeling Great,
and Living Longer
 
Eat Right For Your Type
The Individualized Diet Solution to Staying Healthy,
Living Longer and Achieving Your Ideal Weight
 
The Get with the Program! Daily Journal
 
Eat More, Weigh Less
Dr. Dean Ornish's Life Choice Program for Losing Weight
Safely while Eating Abundantly
 
Diet Simple
Shed Pounds without Even Trying!: 154 Mental Tricks,
Substitutions, Habits and Inspirations
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