Putting the squeeze on diet scams
• Helpful hints from the FTC Have you heard about the brand new, revolutionary natural energy tablet that lets you “Eat All Day and Melt Away?” Did you see the guy who went from looking like Gerard Depardieu to Arnold Schwarzenegger in 65 days? And what about that diet that is “chemically and enzyme balanced” to help you lose 10 pounds in three days? These claims and hundreds of others like them are included in Internet advertisements, and Becky Merk, a dietitian at Miami Valley Hospital, has probably heard of most of them. She teaches a 12-week weight-control course for Miami Valley employees, and participants in the course have tried just about every supposed miracle body reformation scheme ever offered. “Slim Fast. LA Weight Loss. The Hollywood Diet. Sugar Busters. The Zone. The Atkins Diet. People tell me they've tried all of them,” Merk said. “A lot of people are making a lot of promises about weight loss, but even if you manage to lose weight with one of these programs, it's very hard to maintain your new weight without making some basic lifestyle changes.” Television, magazines, newspapers, billboards and the Internet are teeming with come-ons for weight-loss systems that promise dramatic results with little effort. According to the Federal Trade Commission, which tries to enforce restrictions on fraudulent diet product claims, about 50 million Americans will go on a diet to lose weight this year. Of those 50 million only about 2.5 million will succeed in losing weight and keeping it off. And the fact that so many people keep paying billions of hard-earned dollars for special foods, supplements, books, equipment and seminars that don't work shows how desperate and gullible people can be, says author and fitness advocate Stephen Grisanti. “The great majority of the infomercials you see about weight loss are lying, plain and simple,” Grisanti said. “Unfortunately, it's no different than the Lotto. People want to get rich quick and easy, but how many people do you know who have won the Lotto? They want to lose weight quick and easy, too. That's not the way it works, though.” Grisanti last year wrote "Industry of Illusions: Health & Fitness Industry Scams, Frauds, Fakes and Personal Trainers Exposed." Grisanti said his father was a martial arts expert and amateur boxing coach, so he became interested in physical fitness young and maintained his interest through adulthood. Spending a lot of time in gyms and fitness centers made him increasingly angry about unscrupulous and unqualified people fleecing unsuspecting customers who honestly wanted to get in shape or lose weight, Grisanti said. “The people who need the most help are the ones getting scammed,” Grisanti said. “You see a lot of products advertising that they are 'scientifically tested' or 'medically proven.' It's not science. What it is is science fiction.” Merk said the truth is that the only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you consume. That means exercising more and eating less. Miami Valley Hospital has a wellness center with exercise equipment for its employees, and Merk teaches a 12-week weight reduction course that focuses on eating a healthy, balanced diet, exercising and modifying the behaviors that lead to overeating or inactivity. She said most diet advertising talks about quick weight loss but says little or nothing about the more important issue of long-term weight management. “It might sound good to lose 30 pounds in 30 days, but that's not very healthy,” she said. “What you lose is likely to be mostly water weight, and you're going to quickly gain that back.” Merk said the first step in starting a weight-loss program should be a consultation with your doctor, not buying something based on an advertisement. She said people should be particularly wary of herbal remedies sold as diet aids. Some people think herbal products are safe because they're supposedly natural, but Merk said herbal products often contain active ingredients that can be harmful or that can interact badly with other medications. “Also herbal products aren't regulated by the (Food and Drug Administration). Taking a supplement like that is taking a risk,” she said. “You should be getting your nutrients from the foods you eat anyway, not from supplements.” Another red flag, Merk said, are diets that suggest you eliminate one food group such as all carbohydrates. Melinda Abney, who completed Miami Valley's weight management course last year, said she had tried just about every type of diet available at one time or another, but none of them worked for long. “You may be able to say, 'I'm never going to eat bread again,' but how realistic is that?” Abney said. “I was on a diet once where you had to fast on Wednesdays. I don't know what was special about Wednesday, but that was the day you didn't eat. “Any of those diets were fine as long as you could keep them up, but they all got boring after a while. When you're an old married woman with kids and a real life, you can't spend all your time thinking about a diet. And as soon as I stopped following the diet, all the weight would come back.” Abney, who works for the Miami Valley human resources department, said she has been dieting since high school with little lasting success. She was able to lose 10 pounds last year after taking the hospital's weight management course and hasn't gained the weight back. In addition to watching what she eats, Abney now exercises regularly, including mid-morning treadmill walks at the wellness center. “One of my activities is going out Rollerblading with my kids,” she said. “I don't think of it as exercise. I'm taking time to get out and play.” James Cummings writes for the Dayton Daily News. Helpful hints from the FTC When it comes to evaluating claims for weight-loss products, the Federal Trade Commission recommends a healthy portion of skepticism. The agency suggests that before you spend money on products or programs that promise fast or easy weight loss, weigh the claims and consider these tips: • “Lose 30 Pounds in Just 30 Days.” As a rule, the faster you lose weight, the more likely you are to gain it back. Also, fast weight loss could harm your health. Unless your doctor advises it, don't look for programs that promise quick weight loss. • “Lose All the Weight You Can for Just $39.99.” Some weight-loss programs have hidden costs. For example, some don't advertise the fact that you must buy their prepackaged meals that cost more than the program fees. Before you sign up for any weight-loss program, ask for all the costs. Get them in writing. • “Lose Weight While You Sleep.” Claims for diet products and programs that promise weight loss without effort are phony. • “Lose Weight and Keep It Off for Good.” Be suspicious about products promising long-term or permanent weight loss. To lose weight and keep it off, you must change how you eat and how much you exercise. • “John Doe Lost 84 Pounds in Six Weeks.” Don't be misled by someone else's weight-loss claims. Even if the claims are true, someone else's success may have little relation to your own chances of success. • “Scientific Breakthrough . . . Medical Miracle.” There are no miracle weight-loss products. To lose weight, you must reduce your intake of calories and increase your physical activity. Be skeptical about exaggerated claims. To file a complaint with the FTC or to get free information on consumer issues, visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, (877) FTC-HELP (382-4357); TTY: (866) 653-4261. |
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