Transcript Fad Diets

Fad Diets
ATP Nutrition Presentation 3/21/14
What are fad diets?
*TEMPORARY eating patterns
*Promote SHORT-TERM weight loss
*Usually focused on SINGLE element
*Pseudo-Scientific claims
*No LONG-TERM maintenance
*Popular MEDIA term
What are fad diets?
Three General Categories:
1. Particular food/food group exaggerated to cure disease
2. "Harmful" food(s) eliminated from diet
3. Certain foods eaten to express particular lifestyle
Red Flags of a Fad Diet
1. Recommendations that promise a quick fix
2. Dire warnings of dangers from a single product or regimen
3. Claims that sound too good to be true
4. Simplistic conclusions drawn from a complex study
5. Recommendations based on a single study
6. Dramatic statements that are refuted by reputable scientific
organizations
7. Lists of "good" and "bad" foods
8. Recommendations made to help sell a product
9. Recommendations based on studies published without peer
review
10. Recommendations from studies that ignore differences
among individuals or groups
Fad Diet #1: The Paleo Diet
The "Caveman" Diet
*Follows our genetic
make-up
*Eating unprocessed
foods
*Listening to your
body
•http://thepaleodiet.com/
•http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6442471551#.UEV132gzPzM
The Paleo Diet - Benefits
*Lower saturated fat intake
*No drastic energy
*No trans fat
spikes/ crashes
*High antioxidant, vitamin, and *Filling food choices
mineral intake
*Healthy fats
*High in mono-, poly-, and
*No need to count
omega-3 fatty acids
calories
*Low in sodium
*Possible association with
*High in fiber and potassium
decrease in cancer
The Paleo Diet - Problems
*Ketone build-up
*$$$
*Hard to follow
*Potential for iron overload
*Can raise cholesterol, increasing risk for heart problems,
if meat isn’t lean
*Lack of proper nutrients
*Exceeds recommended calories from fat/ day + Below
recommended calories from carbs/day
Fad Diet #2:
The Cabbage Soup Diet
*"Lose 10 pounds in 7 days"
o Day 1: Fruits + soup
o Day 2: Vegetables + soup + baked potato at dinner
o Day 3: Combine days 1 & 2 (without potato)
o Day 4: Bananas + skim milk + soup
o Day 5: Beef + tomatoes + soup
o Day 6: Beef + vegetables + soup
o Day 7: Brown rice + unsweetened fruit juice + vegetables
+ soup
*Do for one week and then resume normal eating for at least
two weeks
http://www.cabbage-soup-diet.com
The Cabbage Soup Diet
Pros
Cons
*Short-term, fast weight
loss
*Can eat as much as you
want of the foods
*Nutritious fruits and
vegetables
*Low in fat
*High fiber
*Not for long-term (>7
days)
*Soup is bland
*Extremely low calories
*Low in complex carbs,
protein, vitamins, and
minerals
*Light-headed, weak, and
decreased concentration
Fad Diet #3:
The Master Cleanse
*A juice fast, consisting of lemon, maple syrup,
cayenne pepper, and water
*3 phases:
Ease-in: 3 days of removing processed foods from diet
o The Lemonade diet: 10 days
o Ease-out: 3 days of eating more and more complex
foods
o
*Detox/fasting diet: laxative taken nightly
http://themastercleanse.org
The Master Cleanse
Benefits:
Problems:
*Short-term weight loss
*Possibility that digestive
tract gets to rest and
recover
*Spiritual experience
*Overall, feel better due to
less "poisons" (alcohol,
junk food, etc.)
*Lacking all of the essential
nutrients
*Calorie-deficient
*Headaches, fatigue,
dizziness, nausea, etc.
*Lose water and muscle
weight
*No evidence that cleansing
diets get rid of toxins
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/t
he-lemonade-diet-master-cleansediet
Fad Diet #4:
The Blood-Type Diet
*Encourages eating and avoiding certain foods
based on blood type- A, B, AB, O
*Believes blood types:
-affect digestive system
-determine disease suseptibility
-predict appropriate exercise regimen
*Image of being science-based since focused on
blood types
The Blood-Type Diet
Type O: "Old"/ Humanity's oldest blood type
-benefit from lean meats, poultry, & fish
-restrict bread, grains, legumes
-enjoy vigorous exercise
Type A: "Agrarian"
-benefit from vegetarian diet
-should eat soy protein, legumes, and veggies
-gentle exercise
The Blood-Type Diet
Type B: "Nomadic"
-enjoy lean dairy, meat, and produce
-avoid wheat, lentils, and corn
-exercise moderately
Type AB: "Modern Blood Type"
-sensitive digestive tract
-avoid chicken, beef, and pork
-consume fish, tofu, dairy, and produce
-do calming exercises
The Blood-Type Diet
PROS
*Generally good diet
recommendations
within overall diet
*Pushes generally
healthy, unprocessed
foods
*Increases awareness of
what you are eating
CONS
*Nutrient deficiencies are
common
*Exercise is healthy for
practically everyone
*Complicated to follow
*NOT supported by solid
evidence, science, or repeated
research
*Need a blood test if you do not
your blood type
Fad Diet #5: Atkins Diet
a high protein, high fat, and low carbohydrate diet
*Original Atkins Diet – 1981
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Phase 1: Restrictive Induction Phase
o Max of 20 grams per day of carbohydrates
o No fruit, starchy vegetables, grains, or breads
Phase 2: Ongoing Weight Loss Phase
o Slowly increasing carbs by 5 grams/day
Phases 3&4: Maintenance Phase
o Adding carbohydrates to the amount where weight is
maintained
*The New Atkins for a New You - 2010
Due to negative press response
Emphasis on wholesome foods and
healthy fats
Ideal for people with a busy lifestlye
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*New Atkins Made Easy - 2013
Due to complaints of too much “guess
work”
Provides step-by-step instructions
Shopping lists, diet tracking apps, and
carb counting
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Pros and Cons of Atkins
PROS
*Previous success from diet
*Quick results
*Low-carb options at
restaurants
*Adapted for special dietary
considerations
*Many Atkins approved snacks
are available in the grocery
store
http://www.eatright.org/Media/content.aspx?id=10507#.Uyc3YB
ZS05Q
CONS
*Eating less than 130 grams of
carbohydrates per day
o
brain function
*“Natural fat, even saturated fat,
are vital to good health”
o Saturated fat = heart
problems
*Low in fruits, vegetables, and
whole grains
o Less vitamins, minerals,
etc.
Fad Diet #6:
The Fat Belly Diet
“Lost up to 15 pounds in 32 days
and flatten your belly!”
Based on the claim that there’s
a link between
monounsaturated fatty acids
(MUFAs) and belly fat
http://www.eatright.org/Media/content.aspx?id=10416#.UycslBZS05Q
2 Parts
Part 1: 4 Day Anti-bloat Jumpstart
*Avoid salt, salt-based seasonings, highly processed foods,
excess carb foods (pasta, pizza, bread, pretzels), bulky raw
foods, gassy foods (broccoli, cauliflower, legumes, peppers,
citrus fruits), chewing gum, sugar alcohols, fried foods, spicy
foods, carbonated drinks, alcohol, coffee, tea, hot cocoa, and
fruit juice
*Drink 2 liters daily of “Sassy Water”: Blend of ginger root,
cucumber, lemon, and mint leaves
*Provides 1,200 calories per day
2 Parts
Part 2: 4 Week Eating Plan
*3 Rules:
o Eat 400 calories at each meal
o Never go more than 4 hours
without eating
o Eat a MUFA at every meal
*1,600 calories daily from 3 meals
and 1 snack
*Meal plans and snack ideas
provided
Pros and Cons of Flat Belly Diet
PROS
CONS
*Based on a healthy,
mediterranean style meal
plan
*Only 2 calorie levels = not based
on age, gender, height, activity
level
*Good for on-the-go dieters:
fast food options and meal
replacements provided
*Sudden stop of caffeine
consumption
*Although it says you can do
this without a “single
crunch”, there is a chapter
encouraging physical
activity
*Misleading information that
MUFAs are the success to weight
loss
*No scientific rationale for sassy
water
*Most weight loss is water weight
Conclusion
Avoid diets/ products with the following claims:
*Rapid weight loss
o should only lose ~1-2 lb/week
*Quantities and limitations
o can't eliminate an entire food group - missing critical nutrients
*Specific food combinations
o no evidence that certain combos help weight loss
*Rigid menus
*No need to exercise
o everyone should exercise for better overall health
o 30 - 60 mins most days of the week
Learn more at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetic’s website:
www.eatright.org