Go for a holistic, sustainable, adequate, and nutritionally-balanced diet, complemented by an active lifestyle and lifelong behavioral modifications if you want to lose weight.
This is the advice of the National Nutrition Council (NNC), the country’s highest policy-making and coordinating body on nutrition, whose tasks include issuing policy statements to clarify prevailing issues in nutrition.
NNC-Cordillera Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Rita Papey said one issue that has been identified by the NNC is the proliferation of fad diets which may pose health and nutrition risks to individuals who patronize these diets.
As a policy, the NNC states that fad diets are not recommended for losing weight as these may pose potential health risks and dangers.
A fad diet, also known as crash diet, is any dietary regimen or practice promoted for losing weight and improvement of health that does not form part of a standard dietetic-led weight management advice, Papey said.
Characteristics of fad diets include the following: it makes dramatic claims that are not supported by evidence, nutritionally imbalanced, promise of rapid weight loss (a kilogram in one week), does not include improvement in health and exercise, provides no health warning to those with pre-existing medical conditions and are based on anecdotal evidence and testimonials
NNC states “individual efforts to address overweight and obesity must be complemented with population-based interventions, particularly on the promotion of healthier environment and food systems, and public awareness through behavior-change communications.”
Bella Basalong, a registered nutritionist dietitian and Nutrition Officer III of NNC-CAR shared in a recent forum that fad diets, according to the USA Center for Disease Control and Prevention is a weight loss plan that promises quick results with short-term change in nutrition needs.
The most common fad diet trend worldwide includes the Ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting, Atkins diet, and Blood type diet.
One way to spot a fad diet is that it promises rapid weight loss in a short period of time which sounds too good to be true, food choices in the diet are limited to certain foods or food groups which can be difficult to sustain, promises weight loss without exercise and sounds “scientific” but there very limited studies on their claims.
She also informed that fad diets have negative drawbacks which include occurrence of malnutrition due to certain mineral or vitamin deficiencies, it can lead to dehydration, getting tired quickly due to limited calories and alter metabolism which can cause serious diarrhea or constipation. It also affects emotional health due to frustrations for failing to achieve the desired results.
“Fad diets that introduces high fat can lead to cardiovascular disease, fad diet pills and supplements may contain harmful ingredients to the body, high protein fad diets affect the organs of the body such as the kidneys and individuals going into fad diets experience yo-yo weight because fad diets fail to create sustainable eating habits that can be adopted for a lifetime.”
For these reasons, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics with other nutritionist and dietician groups do not promote fad diets.
Today, there is an increase in overweight and obesity not only in the Philippines but globally, and one of the negative effects of overweight and obesity is the occurrence of non-communicable diseases, Basalong said.
Based on the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) 2013 survey, the Cordillera Administrative Region is one of the top three regions nationwide with the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity not only among adults but including school children.
But the NNC-CAR is not supporting the practice of fad diets to solve the problem. Instead, it is intensifying its campaign that the most successful weight management is a lifelong process which includes healthy eating, having regular physical exercise and behavior change. **JDP/MAWC- PIA CAR
