Content provided by the Health & Wellness Team at GBS Benefits
Keto, Paleo, Atkins, Whole30 … you may recognize or might have even tried one of these diet trends! Social media is full of tips and tricks to promote losing, tightening, or toning, but what really works? Let’s break down what classifies as a fad diet and check out the pros, cons, and recommendations.
A fad is defined as “an intense and widely shared enthusiasm for something, especially one that is short-lived and without basis in the object’s qualities; a craze.”
Thanks to social media, ads, and commercials, we are constantly bombarded with all the latest trends and fads in the fitness and nutrition world — sometimes spreading like wildfire without research or proof. Fad diets tend to be promoted as the best or fastest approach. They might eliminate certain foods or food groups, hype specific foods, or suggest a rigid eating schedule.
Fad diets aren’t typically advertised as a healthy lifestyle change for people with a chronic disease but are often promoted as a quick and easy weight-loss secret. The problem with this is they usually aren’t sustainable, restrict key nutrients, and offer short-lived benefits. When food groups are demonized, and internal cues around hunger and fullness are ignored, this can lead to cycles of weight loss followed by weight regain. This cycle can affect our relationship with food, leading to feelings of failure rather than developing the skills and confidence to manage diet and weight in a healthy manner.
How to Spot a Fad Diet
Here are a few clues to help identify a fad diet:
- Recommendations that promise a quick fix.
- Claims that sound too good to be true.
- Simplistic conclusions drawn from a complex study.
- Recommendations based on a single study.
- Dramatic statements that are refuted by reputable scientific organizations.
- Lists of “good” and “bad” foods.
- Recommendations made to help sell a book or product.
- Recommendations based on studies published without peer review.
- Recommendations from studies that ignore differences among individuals or groups.
- Elimination of one or more of the five food groups (fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, or dairy).
- Diets that include testimonials.
- Diets that recommend magical fat-burning effects of foods.
- Diets that suggest substituting everyday foods or food groups for expensive doses of supplements.
While some health conditions do call for certain foods to be limited or eliminated from your diet, please check with your doctor if you are questioning the efficacy of a diet or supplement. The best thing you can do for your health and wellbeing is develop a positive relationship with food through a balanced diet, listening to internal cues, and finding something that is sustainable and works for you.
Reference: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/fad-diets
