Potential problems plague fad dieting

by Anne Porter
staff associate

Fads do not discriminate. They cover all areas including clothes, jewelry, and home furnishings. Not even eating habits are safe. Recently many people have partaken in these dieting trends with programs such as Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution, the Carb Addict's diet.

The basic premise of these diets is that they cause the body to burn more fat through the depletion or severe limiting of carbohydrates.

Trisha Franscavitch, a registered dietitian, instructs patients on weight reduction at St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles.

"For an overall long-term weight- loss program to keep the weight off, [the high-protein diets] are not successful. Typically the diets are so limiting or so restrictive that it's very difficult for an individual to adhere long term. They are built for failure, and a lot of diets ignore the exercise component," Franscavitch said.

Not only may the diets be ineffective, but they also can damage to the body. Franscavitch explained that when the caloric intake is restricted to less than 1,200 calories a day, the metabolic rate slows down. When normal eating behavior resumes, even more weight than was lost can be gained.

With Dr. Atkins' Diet the body reacts with a ketogenic, or fat burning, state. This empties excess ketones into the bloodstream which can cause headaches, nausea, fatigue and bad breath. In her classes Franscavitch uses a model of guidelines for success in a diet. Those include regular exercise, an increase in daily activity, adequate social support, internal motivation and a positive focus. In order to lose weight safely, one has to cut 3,500 calories per week, the equivalent of one pound. The ideal weight loss, Franscavitch indicated, was one to two pounds per week. In the first weeks of the diet, most of that will be water weight. After that initial weight is lost, the body must adjust to the its new condition.

"We have a set point and our bodies automatically want to go back to that set point. It takes a while and our bodies have a plateau where it is readjusting," Franscavitch said.

Franscavitch recommended asking six question before embarking on a diet. Is the caloric intake greater than one's normal diet? Is there a variety of foods with all food groups eaten? Is the diet appealing for a lifetime of nutrition? Can the food be bought at the local grocery store? Is the dieter allowed to consume his or her favorite foods occasionally? Does the diet fit the lifestyle and budget of the dieter?

John del Rosario, medical director of the Sisters of St. Mary's rehabilitation unit at St. Joseph's in St. Charles, explained further complications that could result from fad diets. Some of those complication include excess water excretion, build up of acid, bone depletion, abnormal heartbeats and an increase in cholesterol and lipids.

"High lipids can lead to an increase in cholesterol and hardening of the arteries," del Rosario said. "The best way to lose weight is to restrict caloric intake and count calories, combined with an exercise program."