These days, you cant walk down the grocery store aisle without seeing foods labeled Paleo, Keto, Whole30, gluten-free the list goes on and on. But what exactly are fad diets, and why should you care (or not care!) about them?

Consumers get bombarded with messaging about trends in nutrition on social media, in commercials, and in books, and much of the time, the advice is conflicting.

One day, eggs are great to eat. The next day, youre told to avoid them. Red wine has health benefits, but drinking too much is bad for you. Coconut oil is a miracle food, but its also really high in saturated fat, which can increase your LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Fad diets are diets that are trendy in the short term, even though theyre often not based on scientific research or evidence. That hasnt stopped the industry from taking off. In 2020 alone, the U.S. weight-loss industry was valued at $71 billion.

Fad diets often encourage deprivation and the demonization of foods, which may lead to nutrient deficiencies and disordered eating habits. They also focus on quick results and almost always on weight loss.

There isnt quality clinical evidence to back up the safety or efficacy of most fad diets.

Same thing for juice cleanse diets that supposedly detox the body. Your body already has a detoxification system: your liver and kidneys.

Even well-studied diets have been co-opted by the weight-loss industry and sold to people as quick fixes.

The ketogenic or keto diet, for instance, is an effective alternative treatment option for people with epilepsy who dont respond to traditional antiseizure medications or arent good candidates for surgery.

The diet also has some potential benefits like improving heart health, but it comes with several potential side effects. In the short term, you may experience whats known as the keto flu, which can cause temporary symptoms such as:

If you stick to the diet in the long term, your risk for developing the following may increase:

And the diet may not be suitable for people with certain health conditions like type 1 diabetes.

Another trendy food lifestyle is the gluten-free diet. Even though a gluten-free diet is necessary for some people, most dont need to eliminate gluten from their diet to be healthy.

A 2019 double-blinded randomized controlled trial the gold standard for research showed that gluten doesnt induce gastrointestinal symptoms in healthy people.

Like any other diet, its important to be well-rounded and consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods. And for some people, skipping gluten-containing products without guidance from a registered dietitian may actually be harmful.

You can better your health without focusing on weight loss. Plenty of lifestyle changes and habits can improve health markers like blood pressure and heart health walking, cooking more at home, getting quality sleep, reducing stress levels, for example.

However, fad diets are money makers, so companies make promises to bring in the big bucks. People are often duped into buying the latest weight-loss product or book only to spend even more money trying the next fad.

Instead of throwing your money away on supplements, books, and products that dont work, invest in your health by making small, sustainable changes.

Heres why fad diets probably wont do much for your health in the long term.

A calorie deficit promotes weight loss. But depriving yourself of the foods you enjoy to cut calories is likely to backfire.

And while fad diets may help you lose weight in the short term, theyre hard to stick to in the long run because of their restrictive nature.

Its also important to understand that bodyweight is just one piece of the larger puzzle that makes up a healthy person. Emerging research also suggests that weight may not have as big an impact on health as experts once believed.

If youre concerned about being healthy, a recent study suggests that physical activity may be more important than weight loss.

Of course, your diet and body weight can impact health markers like blood pressure and cholesterol, but making weight loss the end-all-be-all goal might not be the best strategy.

And relying on a quick fix like a fad diet might cause more harm than good.

Certain restrictive diets may increase the risk of developing eating disorder tendencies in people of all sizes.

And while a quick-fix diet might improve health markers in the short term, unless youre changing your habits for the long haul, those improvements, like better blood sugar control, may not be long-lasting.

Moreover, restriction can lead to cravings. Researchers are still trying to understand food cravings, but completely cutting out chocolate, potato chips, or ice cream can lead you to want those foods more than ever. Deprivation isnt a viable long-term solution because its not sustainable.

The restriction mindset can lead to binging and further restriction an unhealthy cycle that can cause weight-cycling, which is associated with a higher risk of disease and mortality.

Theres also a potential association between restrictive dieting and the development of eating disorders.

Removing your favorite foods also takes away a lot of pleasure in eating. Its possible to enjoy the foods you love and still reach your health goals.

One of the principal tenets of Intuitive Eating, for example, is gentle nutrition, the concept that you can eat healthfully while honoring your taste buds.

Often, certain foods or macronutrients become the target of fad diets. But if youre required to cut out an entire food group, the diet probably wont last. You may also be at higher risk for nutrient deficiencies.

Cutting out foods and food groups, or significantly reducing caloric intake, can make it much harder to get the nutrients your body needs.

For example, people following a strict vegan diet are at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency because the nutrient is found primarily in animal foods.

And if you eat a very low carb diet, like the keto diet, you may not be getting enough fiber or other key vitamins and minerals, which can lead to unpleasant side effects like constipation and muscle cramps.

Your diet doesnt need to involve an all-or-nothing approach. Some foods are more nutritious than others, but all foods can be a part of a healthy diet. We live in a world of delicious options, after all.

Of course, too much of a tasty thing may negatively impact your health. Large quantities of refined carbs, for instance, can cause blood sugar spikes that may eventually lead to diabetes. They may also contribute to the development of heart disease.

Carbs arent the enemy, though. You can reduce your refined carbs and sugar intake without going to the extreme. Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes contain plenty of nutrients, including fiber, which is essential for gut health.

Diets can also negatively impact your mental health.

Fad diets, in particular, are associated with an increased risk of disordered eating and eating disorders due to their restrictive nature and negative impact on body image.

Theres also the mental toll of restriction to consider. Constantly striving to eat perfectly can cause unnecessary stress, which may, in turn, affect your overall health.

Are you looking to improve your overall health? Heres what to try instead of that popular fad diet thats all over your social media feeds.

Eat consistently throughout the day to help maintain optimal blood sugar levels, prevent indigestion, and curb uncomfortable bloating.

Aim for your meals to include lean protein, carbs high in fiber, and healthy fat. Not only will this help you eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods, but itll also stabilize your blood sugar and promote a healthy gut microbiota.

Eat more fruits and veggies! Aim for 45 servings daily. Whats a serving? One cup of leafy greens, 1/2 cup of cooked veggies, a piece of fruit about the size of a tennis ball, or about 1 cup of berries.

If that sounds like a lot, start slow and add a serving to one meal or snack. Remember that canned, frozen, and dried produce count too, but try to opt for ones with no or little added sugar and salt.

The American Heart Association recommends less than 25 grams for women daily and less than 36 grams for men, but its a good idea to keep added sugar intake as low as possible for optimal health.

Youll find added sugar in sweet foods, like cookies and ice cream, but its also in many other foods like bread, crackers, and yogurt. Added sugar shows up on food labels under various names: honey, agave, invert sugar, sucrose, and fructose. Try to choose lower sugar options when you can.

Do Diets Really Just Make You Fatter? – Healthline

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Dieting is a multibillion-dollar global industry.

However, theres no evidence people are becoming slimmer as a result.

In fact, the opposite seems to be true. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions worldwide.

About 13% of the worlds adult population has obesity, and this number increases to 35% in the United States (1, 2).

Interestingly, theres some evidence that weight loss diets dont work in the long term and may actually lead to weight gain.

As the obesity epidemic continues to grow, many people turn to calorie-restricted diets in an attempt to lose weight.

However, people with obesity arent the only ones dieting. Losing weight is a priority for many people who either have less weight or are slightly overweight, particularly women.

Many researchers believe this is related to having a poor body image, which is made worse by constant media exposure to slim models, celebrities, and athletes (3, 4).

The desire to be thinner can begin as early as grade school. In one study, more than 50% of girls ages 68 with less weight said that their ideal weight was lower than their actual weight (5).

Girls beliefs about dieting and weight are often learned from their mothers.

In one study, 90% of mothers reported they had dieted recently. Study results showed 5-year-old daughters of dieting mothers were twice as likely to already have thoughts about dieting, compared with daughters of non-dieting mothers (6).

The desire to be thin is very common in women and can begin as early as 5 years old. Early awareness of dieting is often due to a mothers dieting behavior.

Losing weight is big business worldwide.

In 2015, it was estimated that weight loss programs, products, and other therapies generated more than $150 billion in profits in the United States and Europe combined (7).

The global weight loss market is predicted to reach $246 billion by 2022 (8).

Not surprisingly, weight loss programs can be quite expensive for someone who wants to lose more than a few pounds.

One study found that the average cost to lose 11 pounds (5 kg) ranged from $755 for the Weight Watchers program to $2,730 for the medication orlistat (9).

Whats more, most people go on many diets during their lifetime.

When these multiple attempts are taken into consideration, some people end up spending thousands of dollars pursuing weight loss, often without long-term success.

The diet industry generates billions of dollars every year and is expected to continue to grow in response to peoples desire to lose weight.

Unfortunately, weight loss diets have a disappointing track record.

In one study, 3 years after participants concluded a weight loss program, only 12% had kept off at least 75% of the weight theyd lost, while 40% had gained back more weight than they had originally lost (10).

Another study found that 5 years after a group of women lost weight during a 6-month weight loss program, they weighed 7.9 pounds (3.6 kg) more than their starting weight on average (11).

Yet, another study found that only 19% of people were able to maintain a 10% weight loss for 5 years (12).

It also appears that weight regain occurs regardless of the type of diet used for weight loss, although some diets are linked to less regain than others.

For instance, in a study comparing three diets, people who followed a diet high in monounsaturated fat regained less weight than those who followed a low fat or control diet (13).

A group of researchers who reviewed 14 weight loss studies pointed out that in many cases, regain may be higher than reported because follow-up rates are very low and weights are often self-reported by phone or mail (14).

Research shows that the majority of people will gain back most of the weight they lose while dieting and will even end up weighing more than before.

Although a small percentage of people manage to lose weight and keep it off, most people regain all or a portion of the weight they lost, and some gain back even more.

Studies suggest that rather than achieving weight loss, most people who frequently diet end up gaining weight in the long term.

A 2013 review found that in 15 out of 20 studies of people without obesity, recent dieting behavior predicted weight gain over time (15).

One factor that contributes to regain in people with less weight is an increase in appetite hormones.

Your body boosts its production of these hunger-inducing hormones when it senses it has lost fat and muscle (16).

In addition, calorie restriction and loss of muscle mass may cause your bodys metabolism to slow down, making it easier to regain weight once you return to your usual eating pattern.

In one study, when men with less weight followed a diet providing 50% of their calorie needs for 3 weeks, they started burning 255 fewer calories each day (17).

Many women first go on a diet in their early teen or preteen years.

A lot of research shows that dieting during adolescence is associated with an increased risk of developing overweight, obesity, or disordered eating in the future (18).

A 2003 study found that teens who dieted were twice as likely to become overweight than non-dieting teens, regardless of their starting weight (19).

Although genetics play a large role in weight gain, studies on identical twins have shown that dieting behavior may be just as important (20, 21).

In a Finnish study that followed 2,000 sets of twins over 10 years, a twin who reported dieting even one time was twice as likely to gain weight compared with their non-dieting twin. Also, the risk increased with additional dieting attempts (21).

However, keep in mind that these observational studies dont prove that dieting causes weight gain.

People who tend to gain weight are more likely to go on a diet, which may be the reason why dieting behavior is associated with an increased risk of gaining weight and developing obesity.

Rather than producing lasting weight loss, dieting among people who dont have obesity is associated with an increased risk of gaining weight and developing obesity over time.

Fortunately, there are some alternatives to dieting that give you a better chance of avoiding or reversing weight gain.

Try shifting the focus from a dieting mentality to eating in a way that optimizes your health.

To start, choose nourishing foods that keep you satisfied and allow you to maintain good energy levels so you feel your best.

Eating mindfully is another helpful strategy. Slowing down, appreciating the eating experience, and listening to your bodys hunger and fullness cues can improve your relationship with food and may lead to weight loss (22, 23, 24).

Exercise can reduce stress and improve your overall health and sense of well-being.

Research suggests that at least 30 minutes of daily physical activity is particularly beneficial for weight maintenance (25, 26).

The best form of exercise is something you enjoy and can commit to doing long term.

Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of your weight in kilograms divided by the square of your height in meters. Its often used to help people determine their healthy weight range.

Researchers have challenged the usefulness of BMI for predicting health risk, as it doesnt account for differences in bone structure, age, gender, or muscle mass, or where a persons body fat is stored (27).

A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is classified as normal, while a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight, and a BMI above 30 refers to having obesity.

However, its important to recognize that you can be healthy even if youre not at your ideal weight. Some people feel and perform best at a weight higher than whats considered a normal BMI.

Although many diets promise to help you achieve your dream body, the truth is that some people simply arent cut out to be very thin.

Studies suggest that being fit at a stable weight is healthier than losing and regaining weight through repeated cycles of dieting (28, 29, 30).

Accepting your current weight can lead to increased self-esteem and body confidence, along with avoiding the lifelong frustration of trying to achieve an unrealistic weight goal (31, 32).

Try to focus on being healthier instead of aiming for an ideal weight. Let weight loss follow as a natural side effect of a healthy lifestyle.

The desire to be thin often begins early in life, particularly among girls, and it can lead to chronic dieting and restrictive eating patterns.

This can do more harm than good. Contrary to popular opinion, permanent changes in lifestyle habits are needed.

Breaking the dieting cycle can help you develop a better relationship with food and maintain a healthier stable weight.

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Do Diets Really Just Make You Fatter? - Healthline

Dec 20

Neuropathy No More Reviews (Blue Heron Health News) Does It Work? – Outlook India

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Neuropathy No More Reviews (Blue Heron Health News) Does It Work? Outlook India

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Dec 11

Wildlife disease ecologist launches project to help DoD monitor quality of bird habitats on military installations – Newswise

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Wildlife disease ecologist launches project to help DoD monitor quality of bird habitats on military installations Newswise

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Nov 25

Study: Almost half of Americans will postpone healthy habits until the next year – Dayton 24/7 Now

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Study: Almost half of Americans will postpone healthy habits until the next year Dayton 24/7 Now

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Oct 29

Do Detox Diets and Cleanses Really Work? – Healthline

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Detoxification (detox) diets are more popular than ever.

These diets claim to clean your blood and eliminate harmful toxins from your body.

However, it is not entirely clear how they do this, what specific compounds theyre supposed to eliminate, and if they even work.

This is a detailed review of detox diets and their health effects.

Detox diets are generally short-term dietary interventions designed to eliminate toxins from your body.

A typical detox diet involves a period of fasting, followed by a strict diet of fruit, vegetables, fruit juices, and water. Sometimes a detox also includes herbs, teas, supplements, and colon cleanses or enemas.

This is claimed to:

Detox therapies are most commonly recommended because of potential exposure to toxic chemicals in the environment or your diet. These include pollutants, synthetic chemicals, heavy metals, and other harmful compounds.

These diets are also claimed to help with various health problems, including obesity, digestive issues, autoimmune diseases, inflammation, allergies, bloating, and chronic fatigue (1).

However, human research on detox diets is lacking, and the handful of studies that exist are significantly flawed (2, 3).

Detoxes are short-term interventions designed to eliminate toxins from your body. Theyre claimed to aid various health problems.

There are many ways to do a detox diet ranging from total starvation fasts to simpler food modifications.

Most detox diets involve at least one of the following (1):

Detox diets vary in intensity and duration.

There are many kinds of detoxes. They almost always involve fasting, eating specific foods, avoiding harmful ingredients, and/or taking supplements.

Detox diets rarely identify the specific toxins they aim to remove. The mechanisms by which they work are also unclear.

In fact, there is little to no evidence that detox diets remove any toxins from your body.

Whats more, your body is capable of cleansing itself through the liver, feces, urine, and sweat. Your liver makes toxic substances harmless, then ensures that theyre released from your body (3, 4, 5, 6, 7).

Despite this, there are a few chemicals that may not be as easily removed by these processes, including persistent organic pollutants (POPs), phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), and heavy metals (3, 8, 9, 10, 11).

These tend to accumulate in fat tissue or blood and can take a very long time even years for your body to flush (12, 13, 14).

However, these compounds generally are removed from or limited in commercial products today (15).

Overall, there is little evidence that detox diets help eliminate any of these compounds.

Detox diets rarely identify the specific toxins theyre claimed to remove, and evidence that they remove toxins at all is lacking. Your body can clear itself of most toxins through the liver, feces, urine, and sweat.

Some people report feeling more focused and energetic during and after detox diets.

However, this improved well-being may simply be due to eliminating processed foods, alcohol, and other unhealthy substances from your diet.

You may also be getting vitamins and minerals that were lacking before.

That said, many people also report feeling very unwell during the detox period.

Very few scientific studies have investigated how detox diets impact weight loss (2).

While some people may lose a lot of weight quickly, this effect seems to be due to loss of fluid and carb stores rather than fat. This weight is usually regained quickly once you go off the cleanse.

One study in overweight Korean women examined the lemon detox diet, which limits you to a mixture of organic maple or palm syrups and lemon juice for seven days.

This diet significantly reduced body weight, BMI, body fat percentage, waist-to-hip ratio, waist circumference, markers of inflammation, insulin resistance, and circulating leptin levels (16).

If a detox diet involves severe calorie restriction, it will most certainly cause weight loss and improvements in metabolic health but its unlikely to help you keep weight off in the long term.

Several varieties of detox diets may have effects similar to those of short-term or intermittent fasting.

Short-term fasting may improve various disease markers in some people, including improved leptin and insulin sensitivity (17, 18).

However, these effects do not apply to everyone. Studies in women show that both a 48-hour fast and a 3-week period of reduced calorie intake may increase your stress hormone levels (19, 20).

On top of that, crash diets can be a stressful experience, as they involve resisting temptations and feeling extreme hunger (21, 22).

Detox diets may help with short-term weight loss, though more studies are needed. Some detox diets may resemble intermittent fasting regimes, which can improve some biomarkers of health.

A few aspects of detox diets may have health benefits, such as (4):

Following these guidelines is generally linked to improved health regardless of whether youre on a detox diet.

Several aspects of detox diets may aid your health. These include avoiding environmental toxins, exercising, eating nutritious food, drinking water, limiting stress, and relaxing.

Before doing any sort of detox, it is important to consider possible side effects.

Several detox diets recommend fasting or severe calorie restriction. Short-term fasting and limited calorie intake can result in fatigue, irritability, and bad breath.

Long-term fasting can result in energy, vitamin, and mineral deficiencies, as well as electrolyte imbalance and even death (23).

Furthermore, colon cleansing methods, which are sometimes recommended during detoxes, can cause dehydration, cramping, bloating, nausea, and vomiting (24).

Some detox diets may pose the risk of overdosing on supplements, laxatives, diuretics, and even water.

There is a lack of regulation and monitoring in the detox industry, and many detox foods and supplements may not have any scientific basis.

In the worst cases, the ingredient labels of detox products may be inaccurate. This can increase your risk of overdosing, potentially resulting in serious and even fatal effects (25).

Certain people should not start any detox or calorie-restricting regimens without consulting a doctor first.

At-risk populations include children, adolescents, older adults, those who are malnourished, pregnant or lactating women, and people who have blood sugar issues, such as diabetes or an eating disorder.

Detox diets may severely limit energy and nutrient intake, posing various risks to your health. Some groups of people should never do detox diets.

Your body is frequently exposed to toxic substances. However, most of the time, it can remove them without additional help.

While detox diets may seem tempting, their benefits likely have nothing to do with vanquishing toxins, but rather with eliminating various unhealthy foods.

A much smarter approach is to eat healthier and improve your lifestyle rather than go on a potentially dangerous cleanse.

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Wildlife disease ecologist launches project to help DoD monitor quality of bird habitats on military installations – Newswise

Study: Almost half of Americans will postpone healthy habits until the next year – Dayton 24/7 Now

Do Detox Diets and Cleanses Really Work? – Healthline

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