This document discusses fad diets and their shortcomings. It defines fad diets as those that are temporarily popular but lack long term goals and scientific backing. The document categorizes common fad diets like Atkins, Paleo, and 5:2 into groups based on whether they exaggerate or restrict food groups, eliminate certain foods, emphasize supplementation, or promote a particular lifestyle. It notes potential risks of nutrient deficiencies, medical issues, and weight regain when diets end. In contrast, the document advocates sustainable lifestyle changes like balanced diets, moderate exercise, and happiness for long term healthy weight loss.

1. Diet Faddism
Abhishek Achar, OMS III

2. What is a Fad Diet?
 Characteristics
 Short Term Weight Loss
 No Long Term Goals
 Temporary Popularity
 Shortcomings
 Closed to revision
 Case Observations held as
evidence
 Scientifically unsound and
dangerous
Manna Health Products
 Made popular by
 Celebrity
 24hr News Networks
 Individual Medical Endorsement
 Confusion
 Aggressive Marketing

3. Categories
 Food Group Exaggeration/Restriction
Some suggested as treatment for disease conditions.
 Food Elimination
Elimination of foods seen as harmful or beneficial in low quantities.
 Food Lifestyle
Emphasis on foods that promote a particular lifestyle.
 Supplementation
A pill is an easy fix.

4. Categories
 Food Group
Exaggeration/Restriction
Some suggested as treatment for disease conditions.
 Fruitarianism
 Blood Type Diet
 Gluten-Free
 Atkins
 Supplementation
A pill is an easy fix.
 Hydroxycut
 Metabolife
 Food Lifestyle
Emphasis on foods that promote a particular lifestyle.
 Low Carbohydrate
 Paleolithic
 South Beach Diet
 Fit for Life
 Food Elimination
Elimination of foods seen as harmful or beneficial in low
quantities.
 Liquid (Slim-Fast, Lemon
Detox)
 Atkins
 Israeli Army Diet
 5:2 Diet

5. Categories
 Food Group Exaggeration/Restriction
Some suggested as treatment for disease conditions.
 Fruitarianism
 Blood Type Diet
 Gluten-Free

6. Food Group Exaggeration/Restriction
 Capitalizes on
 Individualism
 Disease benefit
 Religious beliefs
 Severely affects critical
 Nutrients
Zinc, Iron, Calcium, etc.
 Vitamins
B12/Folate, D, C, etc
 Amino acids
 Multiple medical risks
 Protein-Energy
Malnutrition
 Anemia
 Growth and
developmental
issues
 Social disruptions/
Isolations
 Food Obsessions
 Death

7. Food Group Exaggeration/Restriction
Fruitarianism
Genesis 1:29 (NIV)
Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree
that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.”
 A subset of veganism
 Fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds
 Restricts animal products or grains.
 Steve Jobs, Noted Fruitarian
 Named company Apple while on the diet.
 Delayed medical care for Pancreatic
Cancer due to belief in herbal alternatives.
 Aston Kutcher hospitalized attributed to
diet while preparing for Jobs.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk

8. Categories
 Food Elimination
Elimination of foods seen as harmful or beneficial in low quantities.
 Liquid (Slim-Fast, Lemon Detox)
 Atkins
 HCG Diet
 Israeli Army Diet
 5:2 Diet

9. Food Elimination
 Short term
 Severe caloric restrictions
 Sudden/Immediate weight loss
 Participants will gain back weight when diet is stopped.

10. Food Elimination
5:2 Diet
 The Diet
 Severe calorie restriction for 2 non-
consecutive days
 Men: <600 kcal
 Women: <500 kcal
 Normal eating on other 5 days.
 In some studies, calorie restriction
showed improvement in the longevity of
rodents and non-human primates
 The impact on humans is unknown.
http://www.amazon.com

11. Categories
 Supplementation
A pill is an easy fix.
 Hydroxycut
 Metabolife

12. Supplementation
 Targets those pushing physical limits
 Regularly involved in
 False advertising
 Political Lobbying
 Linked to
 Psychosis
 MI, CVA
 DKA
 Ephedra banned in 2004
 Common additive
 Linked to 155 deaths
 Showcase of poor regulation of
dietary supplements in the US
http://www.wikipedia.com

13. Categories
 Food Lifestyle
Emphasis on foods that promote a particular lifestyle.
 Low Carbohydrate
 Paleolithic
 South Beach Diet
 Fit for Life

14. Food Lifestyle
 Loosely considered “Fad Diet”
 Popularity is cyclic, unlike most Fad Diets
 Emphasizes dietary regiments along side lifestyle changes
 Low-Carb
 Low-Fat
 Naturally occurring foods
 More effective for short-term weight loss
 Not for Health Maintenance

15. Food Lifestyle
Low Carbohydrate Diets
 Decreased intake of simple carbohydrates
 Very Low Carb: 0-60g
 Low Carb: <60-130g
 Targeted metabolic Ketosis for rapid
 Glycogen breakdown
 Fluid Loss
 Fatty Acid breakdown
 Ketogenic diet
 Used for refractory, non-surgical epilepsy
 Efficacy in children with specific epileptic
conditions
 60% showed >50% seizure reduction
 30% showed >90% seizure reduction
 Extreme caution in Diabetic Patients
 Absolute contraindications
 Carnitine Deficiency, Porphyria, Fatty Acid Oxidation
Defects, Pyruvate Carboxylase Deficiency.
http://www.personaltrainerdublindbomb.wordpress.com

16. Losing Weight the Healthy Way
1. Eat Less!
 Consume no more than 22 kcal/kg of
body weight.
 Make sure to eat a balanced diet.
 Guide provided by FDA.
2. Exercise more!
 Recommendations range around at
least
 150 minutes of moderate intensity
aerobic activity
 75 minutes of vigorous intensity
activity per week
 Both increase Intensity and Frequency
reduce CV risk
 Make sure to consult a doctor before
starting a regiment.
3. Be Happy!
 Seriously. I’m not kidding…
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov

17. Information for patients
 Always do your research when considering a new diet.
 Evidence and research is typically limited when it comes
to the effectiveness and safety of diets.
 If you are considering a new diet or exercise regiment,
consult your doctor first.
 Not everyone can safely participate in any one particular
diet.
 All of the diets discussed are controversial.
 Health Maintenance and Long Term Wellbeing are better
achieved with lifestyle changes to diet and exercise and
realistic goal modifications.

18. References
 "Steve Jobs" by Walter Isaacson.
 The Guardian
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/jan/28/ashton-kutcher-
hospital-steve-jobs-diet
 CBS News
http://www.cbsnews.com/2102-500165_162-4036502.html
 Ano Lobb (2009-04-14). "Hepatoxicity associated with weight-loss
supplements: A case for better post-marketing surveillance". World
J Gastroenterol 15 (14): 1786–7.
 Death at the ballpark: a comprehensive study of game-related
fatalities of ... By Robert M. Gorman, David Weeks. McFarland
Press.
 FDA.gov
 UpToDate
 Medscape