Archive for the 'Diet Scams' Category
In this article we’re going to cover a little known type of fraud, though becoming more and more common and a bigger problem each year, this is diet fraud.
The fact is, a great number of people in the world and especially in the United States are overweight. It is one of the largest growing health concerns in this country and getting worse every year. Because of this problem, diet programs are everywhere. Many of them like Weight Watchers have been around for a very long time and are reputable companies. Unfortunately, there are a great number of diet plans out there that are flat out fraudulent in that they promote a weight loss program that doesn’t work or is just plain dangerous.
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The Kimkins diet was founded by Heidi Kimberly Diaz, a 49 year old woman who became extremely popular after apparently losing a whopping 198 pounds.
Both the Kimkins diet and Heidi Diaz, however, have come under some intense scrutiny recently, with the former being called a scam and the latter a fraud.
Is there any truth to either accusation?
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Dieting Do’s Not Don’ts
Our weight-obsessed culture has caused many people to believe that they would be just that much better off if they were to trim off a few pounds of fat. Often, those who diet are well within an acceptable range for body weight; some are even underweight and dieting. A 1995 national health survey www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00049859.htm of college students found 46.4% were attempting weight loss at the time of the survey. The same study found only 20.5% of college students were overweight, yet 41.4% believed themselves to be overweight. The medical literature reveals more than two-thirds of high school girls are dieting and that restrictive eating behaviors are seeping into the lives of children as young as third grade.
Think twice before you make the choice to pursue weight loss. Just because the fashion industry now makes a size zero dress doesn’t mean many people should come healthfully close to fitting into it! Do what is right for the health of your body without falling prey to the perils of trying to achieve someone else’s unrealistic and unhealthy numbers. Before deciding on a diet, speak with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian (RD) for a professional perspective on a healthy weight for you.
For individuals who do need to lose weight for improved health, a refocus on lifetime weight management and avoidance of the “quick-fix” approach will result in the best long-term success. Here are some tips:
In 2004, an estimated 4.8 million Americans bought bogus weight-loss supplements, patches, creams or other products – making it the top rated scam according to the Federal Trade Commission. This is further proof that there is no shortage of charlatans out there preying on people’s desperation to lose weight.
I’m not exactly sure how they came up with the criteria for what constitutes a “scam”, but here are some red flags that people need to be wary of when it comes to sketchy weight loss products.
- Promises of fast, permanent or easy (usually it is all of the above) weight loss
- Lacks scientific evidence to support claims, instead relying on glowing testimonials (which may or may not be authentic)
- Claims to remove fat from certain areas of your body (can you say “thigh master?”)
- Claims you can lose weight without exercising or making dietary modifications
- Uses terms such as “miracle”, “scientific breakthrough”, “secret formula” and “revolutionary” to describe their product
- Isn’t sold through regular commercial distribution channels (internet, mail order, multi level marketing)
- Claims that there is a singular compound/factor is keeping you from losing weight (inevitably, they are selling something that will rectify the culprit). Read: Cortisol-reducers, HGH enhancers etc