Fad Diets and Your Nutrition

Fad Diets• A fad diet is: one that promises quick

results with minimal effort, initial weight loss is usually from fluid loss

• Fad diets rely on gimmicks, instead of teaching how to permanently alter eating habits in a healthful way

• Teens are susceptible to fad diets because they typically struggle with body-image issues, thinking they are overweight when they are not

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Fad Diets

• Trendy diets ignore basic nutritional premise.

• To lose weight a person must take in fewer calories than he/she uses

Yo-Yo Dieting

• Much of weight loss with fad diets is fluid loss

• When the dieter resumes former eating habits, the body rehydrates and the weight returns. Dieters believe that the plan worked and think the weight returned because they went off the diet. So they keep going back....yo-yo dieting.

Teen Dieting Statistics

• In 2003 the Center for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a survey around adolescent dieting titled Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System

• 59% of female and 29% of male adolescent in grades 9-12 were trying to lose weight during the 30 days preceding the survey.

• Over 18% of girls and 8% of boys had gone without eating for 24 hours or more to lose weight.

• In female adolescents, 11.3% had used diet pills and 8.4% had vomited or taken laxative to lose weight in the past 30 days.

• Quotes why teens diet

• “We feel pressure to look a certain way”

• “It’s hard to avoid “in your face” diet advertising”

• “We want to be in shape for sports”

• “We want to look good for spring break”

DietingDieting

• Childhood/Adolescent obesity is the most prevalent pediatric nutritional problem in the United States

• BUT, fad dieting is not the answer!

• Teens who are trying to lose weight don’t always use healthy approaches. Some unhealthy measures include:

• skipping meals

• taking diet pills

• cutting out all carbohydrates

How to spot a fad diet

• The National Institutes of Health recommend watching out for the following red flags:

• Is there an overemphasis on a specific food group or groups?

• Are food choices limited?

• Does the plan claim calories don’t count?

• Does the plan require the user to purchase specific products?

• Does it sound too good to be true?

Fad Risks

• Fad diets have popular appeal because teens want to lose weight fast, but the results are usually temporary. Along with only temporary results there are health risks linked with fad dieting because many of them lack essential nutrients your body needs

• By cutting out key foods, fad diets have been know to cause the following problems:

• Dehydration

• Weakness and fatigue

• Nausea and headaches

• Constipation

• Inadequate vitamin and mineral intake

RisksRisks• Poor nutrition during adolescence may

compromise normal growth and increase risk for future chronic disease

• Even moderate under-nutrition can have lasting effects on cognitive development and academic performance of children

• When young people are undernourished they are prone to illness and infection; which could lead to missing school and falling behind

I want to be healthyWhat do I do?

Where to start??

• Make Changes Slowly: do not expect to change your eating and activity habits overnight. Changing too much too fast will hurt your chances of success

What are your current habits?

• Use a food and activity journal for 4 or 5 days. Write down what you eat, your activities, and your emotions. Review the journal to get a picture of your habits.

Goals

• Set a realistic long term goal but then set several short term goals

• Such as: cut back on sweetened sodas, add more water and low-fat milk, increase daily activity by 20 minutes

What are your barriers?

• Are there too many unhealthy foods at home?

• Do you eat the school lunch and pick the greasy fried items?

• Is it hard to resist some foods because all of your friends are eating them?

Get a buddy or someone at home to support you

• Ask a friend or a family member to help you make changes and stick to your new habits

Stay Positive• Know that you can make changes

and they will pay off in the long run.

• “Dieting” does not work, changing your daily habits takes time and determination

• Being healthy as a teen will give you a great start to a lifelong healthy lifestyle

• Eat Right from the America Dietetic Association give a few recommendations for a healthy eating plan

Eating Right Doesn’t Have To Be Complicated

• Emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole-grains and low-fat or fat-free milk products

• Include lean meats,poultry, fish, beans,eggs, and nuts

• Pick foods low in saturated fat, salt, and added sugar

• Make your calories count: think about nutrient rich foods vs is this food “good” or “bad”

• Focus on variety: eat from all food groups

•They can be fresh, frozen, dried, or canned

•Teenagers should aim for 2 cups of fruits and 2.5 cups of vegetables daily

Fruits and Vegetables

Calcium

• Most teens do not get the recommended 1,200 mg of calcium a day.

• Aim to get at least 3 cups of low-fat, calcium-rich foods daily

• Yogurt, low-fat cheese, low-fat milk

Protein

• Protein builds and repairs body tissue like muscles and organs. You need protein to grow strong and maintain energy levels.

• Teens need 5.5 oz of protein-rich foods a day

• Lean meat, poultry, fish (1 oz is size of a matchbox, 3 oz is size of a deck of cards)

Whole Grains

• Whole grains give you energy and give you a feeling of fullness

• Get 6 oz of grains everyday

• 1 slice of whole grain bread= 1 oz

• 1/2 c whole grain pasta= 1 oz

• 1 c whole grain cereal= 1 oz

Fats• Fat helps your body grow and develop. It

is a source of energy and even keeps your hair and skin healthy...however, some fats are better than others

• Unsaturated fat can be a part of a healthy diet as long as you don’t eat too much

• Good sources include: olive, canola, sunflower, corn and soybean oils; fish like salmon, trout, and tuna; nuts like walnuts, almonds, peanuts, and cashews

Fats

• Limit saturated and trans fats, which can clog your arteries

• Butter, full-fat cheese, whole milk, and fatty meats

• Baked goods like cookies, muffins, and doughnuts, chips, and fried foods

But I Love...

• But I love chips, cookies, cheese.... just remember to eat them in moderation and stay physically active

Iron

• Teens need iron to support their rapid growth

• Try to eat these foods:

• fish, lean beef, iron-fortified cereals, enriched whole-grains, black beans, chickpeas, and spinach (to be strong like Popeye)

Snack Smart• Fruit- any kind

• Peanut butter on whole-wheat crackers

• Tortilla chips with salsa

• Veggies and low-fat dip

• String cheese, low-fat cottage cheese

• Low-fat frozen yogurt

• Graham crackers

Fast Food

• Limit fast food and choose wisely

• Skip the “value” or “super” size

• Choose grilled

• Use mustard instead of mayo

• Choose water instead of sweetened soda

Stay Active

• Physical activity makes you feel good!

• Helps control weight, build lean muscle, and reduce body fat

• Strengthen bones

• Reduce risk of chronic diseases

Stay FocusedStay Determined

Healthy Weighta

and a healthy lifestyle can be achieved