UNSAFE WEIGHT LOSS METHODS

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UNSAFE WEIGHT LOSS METHODS

• Wafaa Ayesh
• Masc.in Nutrition Food Science

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Teen Dieting

• Time Magazine reports that 80 of children have
  been on a diet by the time they reach the 4th
  grade.
• 81 of ten-year-olds are afraid of being fat.
  (Mellin,et.al, 1992)
• The most common behavior that will lead to an
  eating disorder is dieting. (AABA, 1998)

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Teen Dieting

• Too often, teenagers believe that they are
  supposed to look a certain way.
• The media presents us with unrealistically thin
  models. The average woman is 54 tall and weighs
  140 lbs. The average model is 511 tall and
  weighs 117 lbs. (Smolak, 1996)
• Pre-teen and young teen girls go through normal
  and necessary body changes (hips broaden, breasts
  develop) and no longer look like the models on TV
  and in magazines.

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Dangerous Plans

• FASTING
• FAD DIETS
• DIET DRUGS
• VERY LOW CALORIE DIETS

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Dangerous Plans

• Many people try total fasting or self-imposed
  starvation to lose weight.
• This is perhaps the most problematic method of
  weight loss and can damage tissues, body fluids,
  mineral supplies, and vital organs.
• Diet Aids, such as Dexatrim or PhenPhen promise
  the same results as diet plans but with little or
  no change in eating or exercise lifestyle.
  Generally, they are a health risk and are often
  make claims that are too good to be
• true.

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1-FASTING

• Fasting is a widely used method of weight loss
  because it gives fast results.
• With little or no calories being consumed, weight
  is, of course, lost because the body is feeding
  off of its self.
• Up to 50 percent of the weight lost is from lean
  body mass, which is muscle.
• This is a very undesirable result and is the last
  thing you want to happen when you want to reduce
  body fat.

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FASTING

• Lean body mass or muscle, is the fat burning
  engines of your body.
• When your body eats muscle for nutrition, you are
  losing these metabolic engines which are needed
  to burn your body fat.
• As a result, when you start eating again, more of
  the calories are stored as fat rather than being
  burned for energy. This is the yo yo diet
  syndrome that you have probably read about.
• The more you starve yourself, the more muscle you
  lose and the fatter you get.
• In addition to losing lean body mass, fasting
  results in malnutrition and loss of important
  minerals.

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2-FAD DIETS
Anyone who wants to believe in them is forced to
wonder how the thousands of scientists working on
obesity research over the past century could
possibly have missed such obvious connections.

• Understanding Nutrition, 8th ed. Pg 251

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What is a Fad Diet?

• A fad diet is a weight loss plan or aid that
  promises dramatic results. These diets don't
  offer long-term success, and they are usually not
  very healthy. American Academy of Family
  Physicians

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How to identify Fad Diets

• Promise dramatic, rapid weight loss
• Promote diets that are nutritionally unbalanced
  or extremely low in calories
• Use liquid formulas rather than foods.
• Attempt to make clients dependent upon special
  foods or devices.
• Fail to encourage permanent, realistic lifestyle
  changes.
• Understanding Nutrition, 8th ed. Pg 253

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How to identify Fad Diets

• Promote unproven or spurious weight-loss aids
  such as starch blockers, diuretics, sauna belts,
  body wraps, passive exercise, ear stapling,
  acupuncture, electric muscle-stimulating devices,
  amino acid supplements, unique ingredients, etc
• Fail to provide for weight maintenance after the
  program ends.
• Understanding Nutrition, 8th ed. Pg 253

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If fad diets don't work, why are they so popular?

• People are often willing to try anything that
  promises to help them lose weight because they
  want to look or feel better, or because they are
  worried about getting weight-related diseases.
  Companies that promote fad diets take advantage
  of this fact.
• They appeal to people by promising weight loss
  that's very quick and easy.
• Many people prefer to try the quick fix of a fad
  diet instead of making the effort to lose weight
  through long-term changes in their eating and
  exercise habits.
• American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
  Website http//familydoctor.org/784.xml

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If fad diets don't work, why are they so popular?

• Fad diets also become popular because many of
  them do work for a short time. In many cases,
  this is because when you stop eating certain
  types of food or eat special combinations of
  foods, you are getting fewer calories than you
  normally would. You are also paying more
  attention to what you are eating. However, its
  likely that much of the weight you lose is from
  water and lean muscle, not body fat. Also, most
  people are not able to keep up with the demands
  of a diet that strictly limits their food choices
  or requires them to eat the same foods over and
  over again. People who use fad diets usually end
  up gaining back any weight that they lost.
• American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
  Website http//familydoctor.org/784.xml

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Fad Diets and Eating Disorders

• 35 of normal dieters progress to pathological
  dieting. Of those, 20-25 progress to partial or
  syndrome eating disorders. (Shisslak Crago,)
• The popularity of fad diets perpetuates the idea
  that being thin is more important than being
  healthy.
• According to a recent study, ½ of females between
  the age of 18-25 would prefer to be run over by a
  truck than be fat. (Graessar,)

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How to recognize a fad diet

• Advocates magic or miracle foods that burn fat.
• Recommends bizarre quantities of only one food or
  type of food.
• Forces one to adhere to a rigid menu.
• Touts benefits of specific food combinations.
• Promises rapid weight loss (gt2 lbs. per week)
• Does not include a health warning for those with
  chronic diseases.
• Requires NO increased physical activity.
• Sounds too good to be true.

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Popular Fad Diets

• South Beach Diet
• Atkins Diet Revolution
• Scarsdale Medical Diet
• Grapefruit Diet
• Enter the Zone Diet
• 3-Day Diet

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South Beach Diet

• Eat as much as you want, BUT avoid sugars and
  refined-foods carbohydrates.
• Phase One- 2 weeks of strict dieting avoid
  nearly all carbs. Most people lose between 8-13
  lbs.
• Phase Two- Good carbs slowly introduced into
  diet.
• Phase Three- Return to Phase One if weight
• gain begins again.

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Atkins Diet Carbohydrates are bad
Picture from
http//www.faddiet.com/atkinsdiet.html
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Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution

• Eat NO MORE THAN 20 grams of carbohydrates per
  day.
• Avoid ALL breads, cereals, grains, sugars, pasta,
  rice, flour, soda, juice, fruit, alcohol
• Some vegetables are allowed if consumed in small
  quantities. The dieter is advised to stick with
  free meats, eggs, and cheeses. Advocates LOW
  carbs and HIGH fat.

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Scarsdale Medical Diet Plan

• Requires dieter to follow a strict diet regimen
  for 7 days.
• Must consume at least 4 glasses of water or diet
  soda per day.
• Coffee, lean meat, vegetables, and melons or
  grapefruit make up the majority of the diets
  food guidelines.

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Grapefruit Diet

• Promises that the dieter will lose 52 lbs. in 2½
  months!
• Must drink 64 oz. water daily. Must adhere to a
  strict list of haves and have nots. Cannot
  eliminate ANYTHING from the diet and must consume
  the minimum amount required at each meal.
• Advises the dieter to, Eat until you are
  stuffed. The more you eat, the more weight you
  will lose.
• Includes grapefruits or juice, any meat, and
  salad with dressing.

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Enter the Zone Diet

• Strict 40-30-30 eating plan. 40
  carbohydrates, 30 fat and 30 protein.
• Claims to use the biochemical effects of food on
  hormone production and metabolic activity. The
  Zone refers to a supposed state of optimal
  health, peak performance, and weight control.

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3-Day Diet

• Similar to the Scarsdale diet, but offers a wide
  variety of food and necessitates a VERY detailed
  eating plan.
• Dieters are instructed to measure each food
  (usually ½ or 1 cup per serving) and are told to
  eat toast, peanut butter, veggies, apples,
  crackers, vanilla ice cream, and beef franks.
  Again, the diet stresses the importance of eating
  these foods in a certain specific order.

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High-Carbohydrate Diets

• Diets like the Pritikin Diet Plan or the
  Save-Your-Life Diet recommend high fiber and high
  carbs.
• These diets are as unhealthy they can lead to
  lowered immunity and poor wound healing because
  of lower fat and protein intake.

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Science of Low-Carbohydrate Diets

• Carbohydrates are the bodys main source of
  energy. Excess carbohydrates are converted to
  fat and stored as fat tissue.
• When on a low carbohydrate diet, the body uses
  fats from foods and fats stored in the body for
  energy.

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Science of Low Carbohydrate Diets

• When carbohydrates are in short supply, the body
  cannot completely break down fat. As a result,
  ketone bodies are formed. Large amounts of water
  is excreted.
• This water loss can cause dehydration.
• Ketones accumulate in the blood, causing ketosis.
  
• This state forces the body to burn calories
  similar to a state of starvation. This is
  DANGEROUS, especially over a long period of time.

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Psychology of Dieting

• Fad diets are SO popular because they promise
  FAST weight loss with MINIMAL effort. In our
  fast-paced society, this is a very tempting
  offer.
• Americans are obsessed. The weight loss industry
  in the U.S. rakes in 37 billion dollars a year.
  

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Psychology of Dieting

• A study of four popular fad diets discovered
  another problem while they claim to be easy to
  follow, most people cannot adhere to them. A
  third of participants dropped out of the more
  healthy Weight Watchers and Zone diets. About
  half could not complete the Atkins Diet or the
  vegetarian Ornish Diet Plan.
• Source
  Tufts University

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Psychology of Dieting

• The study also noted that, while initial weight
  loss may be high, the participants had only lost
  about 5 of body weight after one year.
• This weight loss is comparable to a 200 lb.
  individual shedding 10 lbs. Most dieters hope to
  shed about 30 lbs.
• Even unhealthy weight loss can be DISCOURAGING!

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3-DIET DRUGS

• Diet drugs should be approached with extreme
  caution. Most diet drugs work by affecting the
  hypothalamus.
• It will decrease feelings of hunger and increase
  satiety or the feeling of fullness.
• Many of these drugs are not sufficiently tested
  and can have dangerous side effects.
• A good example of this are the popular drugs
  Phentermine and Fenfluramine.
• These are more commonly known as Phen Fen.
• Many doctors prescribed these drugs for weight
  loss.
• While successful weight loss has been reported,
  the weight is regained after drug use is
  discontinued.
• In addition, several serious health problems,
  including pulmonary hypertension and heart valve
  problems have been associated with the use of
  these drugs

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DIET DRUGS

• Diet drugs have become very popular because they
  are viewed as a magic pill. Dieters are always
  on the lookout for a quick and easy weight loss
  cure.
• The dieters hope is that the magic pill will
  provide weight loss without effort and without
  changing the unhealthy lifestyle that caused the
  weight problem.
• Drugs are not the answer for most, and in many
  cases can cause many more serious problems.

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National Nutrition Month 07
American Dietetics Association www.eatright.org
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Key Messages National Nutrition Month 07

• Develop an eating plan for lifelong health. Too
  often people adopt the latest food fad rather
  than focusing on overall health. Get back to
  basics and use the Dietary Guidelines 2005 and
  MyPyramid as your guide to healthy eating.
• American Dietetics Association www.eatright.org

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Key Messages National Nutrition Month 07

• Choose foods sensibly by looking at the big
  picture. A single food or meal doesnt make or
  break a healthful diet. When consumed in
  moderation in the appropriate portion size, all
  foods can fit into a healthful diet.
• American Dietetics Association www.eatright.org

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Key Messages National Nutrition Month 07

• Food and nutrition misinformation can have
  harmful effects on your health and well-being, as
  well as your wallet.
• Dietitians are uniquely qualified to communicate
  current and emerging science-based nutrition
  information and are an instrumental part of
  developing a diet plan that is unique to your
  particular needs.
• American Dietetics Association www.eatright.org

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Key Messages National Nutrition Month 07

• Learn how to spot a food fad. Unreasonable or
  exaggerated claims that eating (or not eating)
  specific foods, nutrient supplements or
  combinations of foods may cure disease or offer
  quick weight loss are key features of fad
  diets. 
• American Dietetics Association www.eatright.org

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Key Messages National Nutrition Month 07

• Find your balance between food and physical
  activity.
• Regular physical activity is important for your
  overall health and fitness plus it helps control
  body weight, promotes a feeling of well-being and
  reduces the risk of chronic diseases.
• American Dietetics Association www.eatright.org

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Weight Loss Tips

• Emphasize nutrient dense foods
• Eat small portions of foods at each meal
• Share a restaurant meal with a friend or take
  home half for lunch tomorrow
• Make legumes, grains, vegetables, and fruits
  central to your diet plan
• Follow the Dietary Guidelines
• Eat slowly
• Limit high-fat foods
• Limit concentrated sweets and alcoholic beverages
• Drink plenty of water
• Participate in physical activity regularly
• Limit liquid calories choose whole fruits rather
  than juices, and avoid sugary soft drinks.
• Understanding Nutrition,
  8th ed. Pgs 268-269

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THINK POSITIVELY

• Be realistic.
• Make small changes.
• Be adventurous.
• Enjoy a variety of foods.
• Be flexible.
• You can fit in special treats.
• Be sensible.
• Enjoy all foods.
• Be active.

-Get creative with your recreational activities.
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Thank you