Dictionaries define "fads" as trends that are followed with "exaggerated zeal," or phenomena that remain popular for a limited time. A faddy diet is a weight-loss trend that is zealously promoted by diet gurus. Faddy diets, however, defy the true meaning of the word "fad." Despite research citing their inefficiencies and safety issues, many fad diets have remained popular for decades. The signal-to-noise ratio associated with fad diets often favors the noise.
History
A ABC News website article provides a humorous fad dieting history. The corpulent William the Conqueror apparently devised a diet that involved staying in his room and consuming only alcohol. It didn't work. The Frenchman died of abdominal injuries in 1087, and was so obese that he could barely fit in his sarcophagus. Arctic explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson created the Inuit Meat-and-Fat Diet in 1928. His theories were based on the diets of the Inuit, who were noted for their longevity. Caribou, raw fish and whale blubber are the primary foods in the Inuit diet. Then, in the 1930s, Dr. William Hay developed the Hay Diet, which advised the separation of starch and protein into different meals.
Significance
Everything old eventually became new again. The Atkins and other low-carb diets bear some similarity to the Inuit Meat and Fat Diet. Judy Mazel's New Beverly Hills Diet touts the virtues of "harmonized food selection," and is similar to the philosophies of Dr. William Hay. In 1964, Robert Cameron created a diet that would make William the Conqueror smile. It was called "The Drinking Man's Diet," and it combined low-carbohydrate meals with low-carb alcoholic beverages such as vodka and gin.
Identification
You can identify a faddy diet by its promise of a weight loss of more than 2 lbs. a week, and its reliance on testimonials, as opposed to scientific research studies. Fad diet gurus advise you to give up entire food groups, and rarely suggest that you consult a physician or engage in an exercise program. Some promote the use of potentially dangerous supplements. The American Heart Association labels diets advising you to eat specific food combinations at specific times of the day as faddy diets.
Effects
Extreme caloric restriction, such as fasting or diets under 1,000 calories a day, can lower your metabolic rate. Your body adapts to the minimal amount of calories. Weight gain is then accelerated when you go back to a normal eating pattern.
Faddy diets rarely address the physical, emotional and social aspects of over-eating. As such, they fail to promote the lifestyle changes that lead to permanent weight loss.
Expert Insight
Many faddy diets have been scrutinized by research organizations. Researchers at Tufts University, for example, found that low carbohydrate diets had an adverse effect on memory. The body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, which is the brain's primary fuel. Reduced carbohydrate intake reduces the brain energy supply, which can affect memory. Research performed at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast has linked low-carbohydrate diets with diabetes and heart disease.
Member Comments