FAD Diets

Fad diets have been around for a long time. The Atkins diet (the low carbohydrate, high fat diet), was first used by an English surgeon named William Harvey in 1856. In 1972, Dr. Atkins published the Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution. His new book is entitled The New Diet Revolution. Quick fix diets are a multi-million dollar industry. The reason they are so profitable is because everyone is looking for a quick fix for their weight problems. Considering the fact that greater than 50% of United States adults are overweight, it is no wonder there are so many fad diets available, with many more appearing everyday. There are low-carbohydrate diets, low-fat diets, high-fat diets, liquid diets and severe calorie-restricted diets.

Since the Atkins low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet is currently the most popular fad diet, this section will spend some time discussing the possible detrimental effects of the diet, while discussing fad diets in general.

The primary reason these fad diets work for quick weight loss, is due to the low-calorie intake they provide. While most fad diets claim to be based on some newly discovered and incredible physiological process that occur in our bodies, the truth is that there is a lack of scientific data and research to support these claims. (Furthermore, there is no evidence that eating a diet rich in carbohydrates is associated with obesity). No matter what type of diet you are on, if you significantly reduce your caloric intake, you will lose weight. No weight-reducing diet, not even the Atkins diet, can be effective unless it provides for a decrease in energy intake.

Remember This: If fad diets such as the Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution are truly successful, why do they quickly fade and either reappear under a new name or are replaced by other fad diets? Keep this in mind when you are looking to a fad diet as a solutions to long-term weight loss.

Weight loss from fad diets: Initially, changes in weight may be due to changes in water balance. Low-carbohydrate diets tend to promote a temporary sodium loss from the body. Therefore, initial weight loss may be primarily from water and protein loss, not from fat. Since the goal of weight loss is to lose fat weight, these diets are not an ideal manner to achieve the desired results. However, because the weight loss is from water, these diets tend to produce rapid weight loss. This makes them attractive, but also leads to rapid weight gain once the diet is over. Since most fad diets are too complicated to follow for a lifetime, they do not present a realistic solution for long-term weight loss.

Potential Hazards of low-carbohydrate, high-fat fad diets:

Diets that limit carbohydrate intake and promote high fat intake can have serious nutrition and health consequences. These include:

Perhaps the greatest danger is the development of hyperlipidemia (high blood fat). Additionally, the risk of developing hypercholesterolemia (high blood cholesterol) is greater with a high fat diet. Both conditions are associated with an increased risk of developing coronary heart disease. A diet rich in saturated fat and cholesterol (regardless if it helps you lose weight), could be responsible for accelerating atherosclerosis. Studies have shown people on these diets to have increased cholesterol.

As mentioned earlier in this section, diets low in carbohydrates tend to promote a temporary sodium loss. Diets high in protein tend to place an extra burden on the kidneys. The extra protein forces the kidneys to work harder to excrete urinary water. This can lead to not only dehydration, electrolyte (sodium for example) imbalance, but also a decreased ability of the kidneys to reabsorb calcium, which could lead to decreased levels of calcium in the body. This situation can promote osteopenia (the first stages of osteoporosis) with an increased risk of osteoporosis in elderly people.

Fad diets limit many food groups that provide essential nutrients, energy and fiber to the diet, such as breads, grains, cereals, fruits and vegetables.

Fad diets do not teach good nutrition habits. Once the diet is over, most of the weight is gained. The dieter has not learned about making good food choices and about making long-term changes in diet and exercise habits, which are essential to maintain weight loss.

Fad diets that provide for very low carbohydrate intake severely limit the ability of the body to use carbohydrates to replace glycogen used during exercise. This can make exercising difficult, especially when combined with dehydration. These problems can set up any exercising dieter for failure.

So while fad diets may show short-term weight loss, the detrimental effects just mentioned make following these diets unhealthy and not advisable.

The Bottom Line:

I hope this section has educated you on fad diets. Remember that nothing can beat a healthy, sensible, realistic diet combined with regular exercise for long-term weight loss.

Some things to remember about proper dieting for weight loss:

Diets should not be too restricted in energy intake, especially if exercise is part of the weight loss program. This depends on the specific individual, but energy intake should not be less than resting metabolic rate, which is around 1200 to 1500 calories a day for women and 1600-1900 calories a day for men.

Carbohydrate intake should not be severely restricted. Carbohydrates are important for the maintenance of blood glucose, fueling the brain and replacing muscle and liver glycogen stores. Glycogen stores are significantly depleted when energy and carbohydrate intake are severely depleted.

Be sure to obtain the recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals. This can be difficult when on a low-calorie diet.

Be sure to obtain adequate amounts of high-quality protein in your diet. Also, fat intake should come from foods that provide essential fatty acids, such as fish and vegetable oils.

Remember that proper weight loss comes slowly. You only want to lose 1-2 pounds a week. Research has shown that people who successfully maintain weight loss follow three recommendations: (1)exercise, (2)monitor energy intake (calories per day), and (3)consume low fat, nutritious diets (less than 24% of energy from fat).

For more information about how to lose weight properly, please see the following sections: (1) How to Get Started/Designing a Program, (2)Nutrition and Diet, (3) The DASH Diet, and (4) A Brief Overview of the DASH Diet.

*The information for this section was provided by the following sources:

(1) Council on Foods and Nutrition. A Critique of Low-Carbohydrate Ketogenic Weight Reduction Regimens-A Review of Dr. Atkin's Diet Revolution. Journal of American Medical Association. Vol. 224, No. 10, 1973.

(2) Dr. Melinda Manore. Low-Carbohydrate Diets for Weight Loss Are Back-Do They Work Any Better This Time? American College of Sports Medicine-Health and Fitness Journal. Vol. 3, No. 5, 1999.

(3) Dr. Frances Zeman. Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics. Chapters 13 and 15, 1983. D.C. Heath and Company.

(4) Dr. Stephen Newmark and Beverly Williamson. Nutrition for the Practioner I: Balanced Calorie-Restricted Diets and Carbohydrate-Restricted Diets. Oklahoma State Medical Association. Vol. 77, March 1984.

(5) Nutrition Reviews. Weight Reduction: Fasting Versus a Ketogenic Diet. Vol. 24, No. 5, 1966.

Disclaimer: The information provided by this service is intended to serve as recommendations for people who desire to learn more about health, fitness, and taking care of their bodies. Before beginning any exercise program, always consult your doctor to make sure you are able to begin exercising. Certain disabilities or conditions may contraindicate some activities, so be sure to clear yourself with your doctor.