Dieting Fads and Their Impact
As the years pass by, the statistics of overweight and obese people grow more and more alarming, since it increases at a very rapid rate. If this goes on, the world will soon be full of fat people, including todays children and the generations to come. This is why weight loss programs and means has become some sort of an obsession for health and fitness experts including developing quite a number of wonder diets.
The term Dieting fad has been coined because of the sudden popularity and explosion of these so-called wonder diets, due to the fact that obesity and weight is being carefully looked at by society today.
A fad, according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is something that is taken up with great enthusiasm for a short period of time. Several diets can be considered fads due to their sudden popularity, although it does not necessarily mean that it will remain as popular after several years go by.
Atkins Diet
One of the more popular dieting fads during its time (not as popular now, but still continuing) is the Atkins Diet, developed by Dr. Robert Atkins. The main idea of this diet is to take in a low amount of carbohydrates, which increase minimally for every phase of the diet (there are four phases). Many people believe that the Atkins Diet was responsible for the revolution of the current diets which are mostly low-carbohydrate diets.
Dr. Atkins believes that a main factor in causing obesity is refined carbohydrates, mainly white rice, refined sugar, flour, and the like. Eating too much carbohydrates can cause oversecretion of insulin, which leads to food cravings, which ultimately leads to weight gain. According to the Atkins Diet, by faithfully following its guidelines, it will eliminate that particular process, which prevents you from gaining weight and ultimately allowing you to lose it much easier.
It has been said that the Atkins Diet is most effective for the first six months, with not much of a difference after that. Health wise, studies have proven that it increases good cholesterol levels and lowers some of the risks associated with heart disease. This is unlike crash diets and other diets wherein you will lose weight, albeit at the expense of your health.
South Beach Diet
Another dieting fad is the South Beach Diet, so aptly named because it was developed in Miami, FL, by a heart specialist Dr. Arthur Agatston. His focus in developing this diet was to help his patients, stricken by various heart ailments. However, its health benefits have been documented, not to mention the rate of weight loss, which has made this diet popular with not only heart patients, but with the whole world.
The focus of this particular diet is the consumption of good carbohydrates and good fats.
Are there such things as good carbs and fats? The answer is yes, according to Dr. Agatston.
Good carbohydrates are the ones that are high in fiber content, such as brown (organic) rice and wheat bread, just to name a few. White, or refined rice, is discouraged as this is considered a source of bad carbohydrates. Good fats are basically poly and mono unsaturated fats, while bad fats are saturated and trans fats.
The South Beach Diet aims for its followers to consider the diet as a way or part of their lifestyle, and not simply a means to losing weight. It stresses that weight loss is a positive result of the diet, but that other health benefits can be achieved by faithfully following the diet. That is why this diet does not restrict on the amount of food to be taken in, just the type.
How to Achieve Weight Loss
Diets such as the Atkins Diet and South Beach Diet can be very helpful in allowing you to lose weight; however, it does not stop there. Proper and constant exercise is highly encouraged to experience the full benefits of these diets in relation to Weight Loss. One without the other is an incomplete way of achieving your goals.
Many dieting fads will come and go, while some will generally be accepted in society, as is the case with the two aforementioned ones. Before deciding whether to pursue one diet or another, it would help if you consult experts or your physician, especially if you have an illness.
What impact has fad dieting had on our nation & society?
Americans are becoming fatter by the day it seems. Weight loss surgeries have become very popular. Are fad diets the cause because we do the yo-yo effect with weight loss & gain? Why has obesity become America's biggest problem? Is it from over-eating? Is it from the hormones in our food to mass produce enough to feed people? A combination? Something else?
too much mcdonalds
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nothing I still see fat asses around ATL!!!!
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i think its a combination…….like fast food restaurants r horrible for u for ex. mcdonalds is the worst one meal is like 2,000 calories ( i kno i've researched) and thats horrible..but osme of it is from ppl not excercising so it depends, btu i do not think this is america's biggest problem…….not even close!!!!!!!!!
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Ohhh I love this topic! I'll make this short and sweet. Fad dieting (atkins, south beach, ect.) are diets created for people who are to lazy to do daily excersize. I'm not talking about the 5 minutes of at-home pilates you do… im talking about walking, going to the gym, taking the steps instead of the elevator. Lets face it, life for humas is getting easier (email, order online instead of going out shopping), people no longer NEED to excersize, and we don't. Therfore we are more than willing to jump on any fad diet to make up for our lack of activity. No matter how little carbs you eat, or how many points you score throughout the day… if you are not excersizing your heart, your not improving your health. You could have little to no body fat, and still be at risk for heart disease… don't judge a book by its cover! Get out and excersize people! Make your children play real basketball, not videogame basketball!
… just my two cents
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It's because Fad Diets are bullshi.t. Alot of people, not just Americans are too lazy to excerise, eat healthy. avoid McDonalds and other Fast Food outlets. It's easier to dump a meal out of a can than prepare it yourself. It's easier to feed you kids sugar drinks and chips, chocolate bars, and other crap, while they play xbox or PS2 for 15 hours straight. Instead of an apple and kick their butts outside. You want to be healthy, it's simple. Eat at home, eat real food, don't stuff your face, just eat enough so your not hungry. Get off your couch, computer chair, go outside go for a walk, jog, play ball with your kids, get some fresh air, drink lots of water. Results don't happen overnight, it's a lifestyle, it takes a month to put on 20 lbs, but 6 months to lose it.
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There's a lot to your question, it's a muli-layered issue. There's those who are overworked and under paid (good food costs), the lazy, the uninformed and those who are obessed with lookin' good. You also have to look at those who are making money in this industry to understand why it's still an issue. Who wants to perpetuate this issue to keep making more money?
Some problems today are:
- kids don't play outside all day like they used to
- adults don't have time to workout, eat right (maintain a healthy lifestyle)
- kids don't learn the healthy choices they need
- lunch/dinner in a box instead of preparing a real meal
- soda pop machines in school instead of healthier choices
- kids are eating chips and pop for lunch
- who funds the lunches at school now???
Increase in weight due to (include but not limited to):
- gotta work thru lunch and OT to pay for that new home, Lex, ______
- fast paced lives no time to eat healthy or prepare food
- or other choices seem more satisfying like a ______(not as healthy of a choice)
- portion sizes
- overcooked, fried, battered and under nutrient (for a lack of a better word)
- not paying attention to what we eat (not reading labels carefully)
- fast food chains and all their commercials
- preservatives/hormones in the food
- we don't buy 'fresh food' from the market
- laziness (no exercising, walking etc)
Fad dieting due to:
- we want a magic pill or
- 7 foods to eliminate from our diet and BAM! be the size of our dreams
- society sets a standard, what we should look like
- money making business from doctors and writers to pharmaceuticals and even Jenny Craig/Weight Watchers all cashing in on their magic diet solution
- yo-yo happens because we need a real solution not a quick way to lose pounds only to gain it back
Surgeries like gastric by-pass is popular:
- it's something new
- some really may need this option to lose weight
- another quick way to fix your problems…
- …who's cashing in???
- Image
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See "Super Size Me" the show about the guy who eats McD for 30 days straight.