Facts on Fad Diets

 



March is National Nutrition Month, and your dietitian wants to help you uncomplicate nutrition information!

It can be challenging to separate real from reel when it comes to nutrition information in the age of social media. Fad diets can mask themselves under the false appearance of healthful eating, especially when the nutrition information is coming from your favourite fitness influencer. Let’s take a deeper dive into what fad diets are, and how you can spot them.

What is a fad diet?

A fad diet is a popular diet that promises quick fixes usually revolving around weight loss. It often does not follow healthy eating principles.

How can I spot a fad diet?

Watch out for the following red flags when you come across a new diet:

  • Promises of rapid, significant weight loss (more than 2 pounds per week)
  • Severe restriction on calories or certain food groups like carbohydrates or fats
  • Rigid rules that do not fit into your lifestyle
  • Asks you to buy supplements from a certain company
  • Evidence is based on testimonials rather than science
  • Does not promote physical activity

Remember: if it sounds too good to be true, it likely warrants further research.

Fad diets can be harmful to your body. For example, too little calories mean your body will not get enough energy to sustain your activities. Severely restricting certain food groups means you will miss out on certain nutrients required for healthy body functioning.

You can uncomplicate diet and nutrition by remaining CALM. Ask yourself: Does the diet Credit non-scientific sources such as testimonials, Assure a quick miracle fix, Limit certain food groups or nutrients, or Maintain rigid rules? If you answer yes to one or more of these questions, you may have spotted a fad diet. There are many ingredients which go into creating and sustaining a healthy lifestyle, and a dietitian can help you navigate through them all!

If you have any specific nutrition questions, make sure to email our Registered Dietitian at dining@ualberta.ca with “Ask a Dietitian” in the subject line.


Resources

Fad Diets Explained. American Association of Clinical Endocrinology. (2020, July). Retrieved March 15, 2022, from https://www.aace.com/disease-and-conditions/nutrition-and-obesity/fad-diets-explained

Fad diets: Food Fact Sheet. (2021, December 9). Retrieved March 14, 2022, from https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/fad-diets.html

Get the Facts on Fad Diets. Unlock Food. (2020, October 6). Retrieved March 14, 2022, from https://www.unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/Weight-and-Health/Get-the-Facts-on-Fad-Diets.aspx


Comments

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  3. Gordon Bullard & CompanyApril 11, 2022 at 9:33 PM

    Fad diets can be harmful to your body.For example, too little calories mean your body will not get enough energy to sustain your activities.

    Severely restricting certain food groups means you will miss out on certain nutrients required for healthy body functioning.

    You can uncomplicate diet and nutrition by remaining CALM.Ask yourself Does the diet Credit non-scientific sources such as testimonials, Assure a quick miracle fix, Limit certain food groups or nutrients, or Maintain rigid rules.

    If you answer yes to one or more of these questions, you may have spotted a fad diet. There are many ingredients which go into creating and sustaining a healthy lifestyle, and a dietitian can help you navigate through them all.

    Gordon Bullard & Company

    ReplyDelete
  4. Moshe StruganoAugust 19, 2022 at 10:19 AM

    Israeli Lawyer Moshe Strugano says,Diet fads might be bad for your body.
    For instance, if you consume too few calories, your body won't have the energy to keep up with your activity. You will be deficient in some nutrients if you severely restrict specific food types, which is necessary for a healthy body.

    ReplyDelete
  5. fithumarabharatSeptember 5, 2022 at 1:28 PM

    I appreciate the efforts which you have put into this post. This post provides a good idea. Genuinely, it is a useful post to increase our knowledge. Thanks for sharing such content here. Visit also How To Reduce Stress Permanent Solution

    ReplyDelete

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