ILOILO City – Want to lose weight? Don’t turn to fad diets. They don’t work, according to the National Nutrition Council (NNC).
The agency continues to promote nutritionally balanced diets and lifestyle changes for weight loss, said Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Nona Tad-y.
Fad diets are any dietary regimen or practice promoted for weight loss and improvement of health that does not form part of standard dietetic-led weight management advice, the NNC said.
“A fad diet, in the long run, doesn’t work,” said Tad-y. “Losing weight can be done with an active lifestyle and self-discipline.”
Citing “several studies,” the NNC, in a policy statement, said fad diets were proven to be “nutritionally imbalanced, challenging to comply with in the long run, and induce stress, lead to disease to certain organs and lack of focus on physical activity, and may have psychological implications.”
The NNC instead recommends adherence to a holistic, sustainable, adequate, and nutritionally balanced died, complemented by an active lifestyle and lifelong behavioral modifications.
Health secretary Francisco Duque III approved the NNC Governing Board Resolution No. 4 series of 2018 adopting the policy statement on fad diets just this June 21.
Moreover, the NNC said, “individual efforts to address overweight and obesity must be complemented with population-based interventions, particularly on the promotion of healthier environments and food systems, and public awareness through behavior-change communications.”
Characteristics of fad diets include the following:
*it makes dramatic claims that are not supported by evidence
* nutritionally imbalanced
* promise of rapid weight loss (a kilogram in one week)
* does not include improvement in health and exercise
* provides no health warning to those with pre-existing medical conditions
* based on anecdotal evidence and testimonials
In addition, “a short dietary regimen is medically unsuitable and unsustainable, with dieters falling in their dietary adherence and long-term behavior change, and may pose potential health risks,” the NNC said, still citing “studies.”
“The policy statement also encourages nutritionist-dieticians and other health professionals, both in private and public practice, to advocate for a safe, healthy, holistic dietary exercise and behavioral plan,” said Tad-y./PN
