Weight Loss Programs That Really Work

Weight loss programs that really work are both effective and healthy. Some weight loss programs are not only ineffective, but also nutritionally dangerous. Diets that leave a person feeling famished or deprived simply do not work over the long term. Weight loss programs that really work encourage a healthy lifestyle, rather than just binge dieting. Prior to beginning any weight loss program, consult with your physician and receive a full physical examination.

The Promoting Health in Teens and Kids Program

Physicians and nutritionists at Children's Mercy Hospitals, based in Kansas City, Missouri, developed the PHIT diet. The program is geared toward young people and their families. The PHIT diet is unique in that it also addresses the economic realities that some children face in attempting a weight management program. Children's Mercy works with urban YMCAs and food banks to provide families with healthy food options they may not be able to find in their own neighborhood stores. The hospital also offers healthy cooking classes to program participants. The program also promotes increased physical activity. Children participating in the PHIT program meet weekly for 24 weeks and then monthly for the next 18 months. According to the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, PHIT participants reduced their body mass index, increased their levels of good cholesterol, reduced triglyceride levels and decreased consumption of sweetened drinks. Children and parents rate the program highly.

The Heart Healthy Diet

The Heart Healthy Diet was developed at the U.S. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. The plan is designed to both lower cholesterol levels and reduce the rates of heart disease. The plan can be safely followed by adults and children older than age 2. The diet plan reduces sodium levels to 2,400 mg per day. It also limits fat levels to 30 percent of the daily caloric intake. Recommended daily calorie levels vary based on age, sex, height and activity level.

Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension

Scientists at the NHLBI are also responsible for developing the DASH diet, a dietary regimen focused on helping people reduce or control hypertension, or high blood pressure. The DASH plan includes high levels of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. The diet reduces consumption of red meat, fatty foods and sugar. In a January 2001 article published in the "New England Journal of Medicine," Dr. Frank M. Sacks wrote that the DASH diet successfully lowers blood pressure and sodium levels, but its long-term benefits vary according to an individual's ability to sustain the eating plan and lifestyle changes.