Obesity is now the largest social issue faced by the US population, more so than drugs, smoking, and other issues. It places an enormous strain on the healthcare system, is difficult to manage because it is highly lifestyle related, lives are at risk and there is no effective preventive setup.

1. The obesity numbers are startling – 50% non-Hispanic black women, 15% of the children in the age of 6-19, and an amazing 31% of American adults are obese. The figure for children is the most disturbing; the numbers have more than tripled since 1980. Maximum obesity is to be found in the age-group 50-59 years; ironically an age when the body’s natural defenses are deteriorating and obesity can open the doors to diseases like the dreaded diabetes and hypertension.

2. A study of behavioral risk factors shows that those with less education, i.e. up to high school made up 27.4% of the obese sample as against those with college education and higher who were around 15.7% of the obese population studied. Blacks and Hispanic communities have maximum cases of obese individuals. The above two facts imply that obesity has economic implications and the poor are more likely to suffer from what could be considered a rich man’s disease.

3. The East South Central (Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee) region of the US is the most obese region in the US; conversely the New England Region (Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont) is the least obese one.

4. Obesity is a cost to the society; annual costs related to obesity are in the region of $130 billion with more than half being direct costs such as visits to doctors, medications, and treatment for conditions such as hypertension, heart problems, and diabetes. Indirect costs include lost working hours and work stalled because of people unable to work due to illness or disability

5. Type 2 Diabetes and Osteoarthritis are two obesity-related conditions that are a major cost burden to society and the health industry. The total cost - direct and indirect – because of type 2 diabetes is more than $100 billion while it’s around $25 billion due to osteoarthritis.

6. The list of obesity-related ailments is a long one and obese Americans are at risk from Congestive heart failure, Angina pectoris, Cholecystitis, Cholelithiasis, Osteoarthritis, Gout, Fatty liver disease, Sleep apnea and other respiratory problems, Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), Fertility complications, Pregnancy complications, Psychological disorders, Uric acid nephrolithiasis (kidney stones), Stress urinary incontinence, Cancer of the kidney, endometrium, breast, colon and rectum, esophagus, prostate and gall bladder, Death.

7. Surgical procedures that obese people undergo are more often than not traumatic experiences. Complications are not uncommon, ruptured blood vessels in the lungs, leaking and bleeding of the stomach and intestines, infections of the lungs, blood clotting in veins and infections of the small intestines are some of the complications that can arise.

8. Surgery for obesity results in a follow-up surgery for more than 20% of the patients for corrections to remove obstructive complications such as abdominal hernias; gallstones occur in almost a third of the patients who lose weight quickly. Nutrition deficiencies, anemia, and osteoporosis can happen due to long-term loss of absorptive function. One in two hundred cases can result in death.

Fad diets are like “get rich quick” schemes where the results achieved seldom match up to the promises made. The results are temporary at best. In a nutshell, one thing that you need to know about fad diets is that the positives of a fad diet regimen are outweighed by the negatives.

A brief look at the concept of fad diets, after reading this article you will have a clear understanding of what fad diets are and should you be going for one.

Fad diets work on the basis of the following three points:

* Promoting a food group as a panacea for losing weight

* Eliminating foods considered harmful

* Lifestyle-related diets

These premise are not scientifically verified though the diet promoters may have some anecdotal evidence to back it.

Food faddism can be taken to extremes, as in the case of Zen Macrobiotic diets that promised more than just weight loss, they offered a spiritual rebirth as well for the small price of giving up animal products including milk, fruits, and vegetables and living entirely off cereals.

Why are fad diets popular?

Given the fact that we are all intelligent folk, why do we fall for these fad diets? I guess for the same reason we buy a pack of cigarettes even though it has the Surgeon General’s warning printed on it.

Fad diet promoters prey on our gullibility, desperation, and vanity and do it quite successfully. Another reason why these diets sell is that they do show some temporary results. However, a lot of weight loss that occurs when following a fad diet is from losing water and lean muscle and not body fat.

How to recognize a fad diet?

If an advertisement for a diet has any of the following characteristics, it’s a fad diet.

* A promise of quick results

* Easy to follow

* No restrictions on what you eat

* No exercise required

* Strong marketing with tools like before and after photos

* Elimination of entire food groups from the diet plan

* No mention of any scientific backing but a lot of jargon used

Some (in)famous fad diets

3-Day diet – This diet restricts calorie intake to around a 1000 calories each day for 3 days in a week. For the rest of the week, you may follow your normal eating routine. This is one of the more extreme diets with severe calorie restrictions that lead to a breakdown of muscle. Also, plunging the body in and out of near-starvation routines can do more harm than good. The diet claims an ability to bring down weight by 10 pounds in a week or 40 pounds in a month.

Hollywood diet – What can be a better tool than adding “Hollywood” as a tag to your product? There is a strong chance that sad and down & out individuals will be willing to put reason aside and try out this extreme diet plan which promises rapid weight loss. The diet basically asks you to survive on a concentrate made of water and fructose, pineapple, orange, apple, prune, white grape, and lemon juices, and extracts of bilberry, green tea, ginkgo biloba, and grapeseed, along with a few preservatives and stabilizers. Good for cleansing the system once in a while but not recommended as a weight-loss diet.

Moon diet – It would be difficult to come up with a diet more gimmicky than the moon diet. The diet claims that the phases of the moon can help you lose around six pounds in one day. You need willpower, the ability to read an Almanac, and a suspension of belief before going in for this diet which is basically a form of scheduled fasting.

In conclusion, it would be fair to say that there is no gain without pain; the only real way to lose weight and stay healthy is diet control and exercise.

May 19, 2007 5:58 am | 2 Comments | Fad Diets, Weight Loss Products

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