Weighting the Evidence in Diet Ads
Flip through a magazine, scan a newspaper, or channel surf and you see them everywhere: Ads that promise quick and easy weight loss without diet or exercise. Wouldn’t it be nice if—as the ads claim—you could lose weight simply by taking a pill, wearing a patch, or rubbing in a cream? Too bad claims like that are almost always false. Doctors, dieticians, and other experts agree that the best way to lose weight is to eat fewer calories and increase your physical activity so you burn more energy. A reasonable goal is to lose about a pound a week. For most people, that means cutting about 500 calories a day from your diet, eating a variety of nutritious foods, and exercising regularly. When it comes …
Continue Reading >NCAHF Position Statement on Commercial Weight-Loss Promotions
The National Council Against Health Fraud disparages commercial weight-loss or control programs that: Promise or imply dramatic, rapid weight-loss (ie, substantially more than one-percent of total body weight per week). Promote diets that are extremely low in calories (ie, below 800 KCal per day / 1200 KCal per day preferred) unless under the supervision of competent medical experts. Attempt to make clients dependent upon special products rather than teaching how to make good choices from the conventional food supply (this does not condemn the marketing of low-calorie convenience foods which may be chosen by consumers). Do not encourage permanent, realistic lifestyle changes including regular exercise and the behavioral aspects of eating wherein food may be used as a coping device (ie, programs should focus upon …
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