Transcript Fad Diets & Healthy Weight Management - Lifetime-Nutrition

Fad Diets & Healthy Weight
Management
What is a “fad diet”?
• Frequently only allow you to eat certain
foods
• Diets that are NOT always healthy because
they may lack essential nutrients the body
needs.
• Results are usually temporary
• People often gain back all the weight plus
more when they stop following the diet
• For example:
– Diets low in calcium – risk for osteoporosis
– Diets low in fiber – constipation
– Diets extremely high in fiber – diarrhea, bloating,
gas
– Diets low in calories (energy) – loss of period,
irritable, headaches, negatively affect school
performance
– Diets low in fruits and veggies – deprive the body
of necessary nutrients
– Quick weight loss – lose muscle
– Diet pills – harm to heart / brain
Teens and Fad Diet Facts
Did YOU Know?
• Americans spend billions of dollars on dieting
and diet products every year
True or False
• The diet industry targets teens with promises
of quick weight loss.
• Fad dieting can keep teens from getting
enough energy and nutrients.
• All teens who go on diets need to lose
weight.
True or False
• Teens who follow a strict diet for a while will
usually keep the weight off.
• Teens who follow strict diets may not get the
nutrition they need to grow and develop
properly.
Why do Teens Diet?
Quotes from Teens:
• “We feel pressured to look a certain way.”
• “It’s hard to avoid “in your face” diet
advertising.”
• “We want to be in shape for sports.”
• “We want to look good for summer.”
Dieting Danger Signs
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Continues to diet even if not overweight
Feels weak or dizzy
May spend less time with family/friends
Eats alone
Performs poorly in school
In afraid of eating certain foods
Loses weight very quickly
Teens at Risk
• Many teens don’t get enough calcium, iron,
and folic acid.
True or False?
• When females diet, their periods may stop
and they may lose bone mass.
• You should avoid carbs.
Helping Teens Spot Fad Diets
Ask Yourself: Does the Diet…
• Promise quick weight loss?
• Require you to buy something in order to
participate?
• Make claims that certain foods are bad?
• Include a warning for people with chronic
disease?
• Use words like: “Amazing”, “Instant”,
“Miraculous”?
• Require you to take pills?
Teach your Peers to “Ditch Diets” that
tell them to…
• Starve, skip meals, or drastically reduce food
intake
• Eat only certain foods
• Completely cut out fats, carbs, or sugars
• Use laxatives or diuretics
• Take pills, powders, or large doses of herbs
• Focus on weight loss without exercise
How can you promote a healthy
lifestyle among your peers?
You can help other teens by:
• Helping clarify myths, such as false
advertising
• Teaching them to read food labels
• Encouraging them to be active
• Helping them to set realistic goals
• Suggesting they limit TV and computer time
• Being a positive role model
The “REAL” deal
• There is NO quick and easy way to lose
weight
• Any diet that sounds too good to be true
probably is
Easy changes to cut back on calories:
• Choose water or low-fat milk – avoid cold drinks and
juice
• Eat breakfast – prevents excessive hunger
• Pack fruit for a snack instead of buying chips or candy
• Eat more whole grains – more filling than refined
grains
• Choose lean meat or vegetarian sources of protein
like beans rather than fatty meat
• Eat a serving of fruit and / or veggies at most meals
for snack
Healthy Weight Management
involves:
• Making small, gradual changes that you will
be able to keep up for the REST OF YOUR
LIFE, such as:
– Eating nutritious foods from all food groups
– Cutting back on excess calorie intake from sugary
drinks, candy and fast food
– Regular physical activity
– Motivation and a positive attitude
Scenario 1
• Mike is a high school wrestler preparing for a big tournament
which is only 5 days away. In order for Mike to compete at his
weight, he must lose 6 pounds by the fourth day.
As he researches the internet, he comes across a diet which
claims it will make him lose up to 10 pounds in a week. This
diet requires a person to eat only fruits and vegetables for 5
days. Along with eating only fruits and vegetables each day,
the only liquid you can drink is water.
Mike really wants to be able to compete in this competition
and is desperate to try anything to get down to his weight
class. He believes if he increases his workouts and goes on
this diet he will make his weight and be able to compete well.
Scenario 1 Questions
• In your group, discuss the options Mike has and answer the
questions below.
• Is the diet he is using a “fad diet”? Why/why not?
• Based on the food guide pyramid, how does this diet match up with
the daily recommendations for individuals? Would you change his
diet? If so, how?
• If Mike goes through with this diet what do you think the results of
going on this diet will be? How do you think he may perform in his
tournament should he make weight?
Scenario 2
• Both Mary and her friend John want to go on a diet for the
upcoming beach season to shed some of the winter pounds they
gained. Mary's goal after four weeks is 8 pounds and John's is 6
pounds. After watching infomercials and researching diets on the
internet, they both decided that they would not try one of the
miracle diets, but rather over the next four weeks exercise daily and
eat a variety of foods from the food plate.
• Based on the information provided in the lesson, do you think Mary
and John are taking positive steps towards dieting? Why/why not?
• Create a one day diet that they might eat based on what you’ve
learned about “my food plate”.
• Diet Analysis Worksheet
• Fad Diet Research Project
Web Resources
• The Center for Young Women’s Health at:
www.youngwomenshealth.org
• The American Dietetic Association at:
www.eatright.org
• Choose My Plate at:
www.choosemyplate.gov
From:
http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/PDFs/PHL
_Module3.pdf