No, miracle diets just don't work

Dubai - Tapeworm diet? Baby food diet? For the sake of your health, stop with the fad diets. The formula is simple: Eat + exercise = Healthy, say experts.

By Staff Reporter

Published: Sat 9 Jan 2016, 11:00 PM

Last updated: Mon 11 Jan 2016, 7:41 AM

There's no polite way to say this. The UAE is full of fat people. Studies say more than 66 per cent of men and 60 per cent of women in the UAE are overweight or obese.
So what's the problem with going on a diet, especially given the obesity statistics? The problem is diets need to be balanced. It's not healthy - or a solution in the long-term - to eat only cabbage soup or baby food or drink only grapefruit juice, and ignore every other food group. You probably know this. But as a reminder, here are a few health care professionals in Dubai reminding you to not go on crash diets.

What exactly is a fad diet?> Recommendations that promise a quick fix > Dire warnings of dangers from a single product or regimen > Claims that sound too good to be true > Simplistic conclusions drawn from a complex study > Lists of "good" and "bad" foods > Recommendations made to help sell a product
(Source: Dubai Health Authority)

Dr Rula Abu Ghazalah, senior clinical dietician at Rashid Hospital, said, "Instead of going on crash-diets, focus on simple healthy eating but jot down the goals you have in order to achieve your target weight. The simplest option is cutting down sugars, processed and fried foods and this can be done slowly with the help of goals. It is important to keep a food journal at least for the first 21 days, which is the time it takes to form a new habit."
Now, the good news: "People should also give themselves a small reward whenever they achieve a sub-goal to maintain motivation and a sense of progress."
So, no, a cupcake once a fortnight won't kill you. Just remember to work it off.
Dr Wafaa Helmi Ayesh, director, clinical nutrition department, clinical support services sector, Dubai Health Authority (DHA), said the promises of "miracle diets" and advertisements that promise as much are "all cheating". "There is nothing like a miracle diet."
She outlined some definitions of fad diets, and names of the most popular but flawed of these diets.
Dr Bassem Badr, senior specialist physiatrist at Rashid Hospital, said: "Instead of focusing on what you want to weigh by the end of 2016, focus on habits that will get you there."
nivriti@khaleejtimes.com

These fad diets are dangerous
> Tapeworm diet: It is undeniable that people will resort to extreme measures in a desperate attempt to shed those extra pounds. But ingesting tapeworms in order to lose weight is not only a radical method but also an extremely dangerous one.
> Acai Berry diet: It has gained popularity since being promoted on the Oprah Winfrey Show.
> 3-day diet: There are many incarnations of the 3-day diet floating around. These kind of diets are popular due to the promise of instant gratification. There is never any long-term success with such a diet.
> Cabbage soup diet: This diet is not sustainable but continues to fall in and out favour.
> Negative calorie diet: Based on a concept with little science to back it up.
> Hollywood diet: Low in calories and involves drinking a "miracle juice".
> Apple cider vinegar diet: Too much of this diet can be harmful.
> Grapefruit diet: This diet says that grapefruit burns fat, but grapefruit can interact with medication, so beware.

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The worst fad diets, according to DHA
> Baby food diet: It involves eating meals of pureed fruits and vegetables and although it's perfect for infants, it's not the greatest choice for adults, as their nutritional needs are different.
> Paleo diet: It does seem easy to eat like our hunter-gatherer ancestors but dining on immense portions of red meat and avoiding anything humans didn't consume before agriculture arrived is next to impossible.
> Master cleanse diet: This diet sacrifices solid foods in favour of a water, lemon and a laxative drink that's said to help shed 20 pounds in 10 days. Its biggest issue however is that you don't consume any actual food for 10 days, which in return breaks down muscle mass, slows down metabolism and sets you up for binges by the 11th day.
> Pasta-chocolate diet: Pasta and chocolate? No, you're not dreaming. This fad prohibits nearly everything that's bad for you, allowing you to eat pasta for lunch and dinner, and to enjoy some popcorn with a bit of chocolate. The catch: you're only allowed to have one ounce of it, and replacing important nutrients with sweets doesn't bode well for your health.