What a bunch of hog wash! Lots of "may" by dietians, but no mention of science or study

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The skinny on diets
May 18, 2001
Despite the how-to bestsellers, there are no quick fixes for losing weight
Russell Wild
SPECIAL TO THE STAR

ILLUSTRATION BY BRIAN HUGHES/TORONTO STAR



NEW YORKER MAGAZINE
If anything is known about shedding pounds, it's this: There's no quick cure. Awfully sorry, but losing weight and keeping it off requires eating in moderation, physical activity and, above all, eternal vigilance.

That's not, of course, what the overweight public wants to hear.

Everyone wants a quick fix, which is why publishers crank out so many diet books full of gimmicks but bereft of science and common sense.

So before you plunk down $35 for the latest miracle weight-loss plan, or sign up for a commercial program that can cost a lot more, read on.

We went to some of the leading weight-control experts and asked them which plans are likely to help you reduce, which will only lighten your wallet, and which may be downright hazardous to your health.

THE ATKINS' DIET

Read all about it!

Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution; Dr. Atkins' Quick and Easy New Diet Cookbook; Dr. Atkins' Age-Defying Diet Revolution; Dr. Atkins' New Carbohydrate Gram Counter; Dr. Atkins' Vita-Nutrient Solution.

Author/Diet Guru: Dr. Robert Atkins

The Theory & the Plan: According to Atkins, a calorie isn't just a calorie. Calories from carbohydrates — as opposed to fats and protein — are what give you a ponderous gut and chunky thighs. Cut the carbs, lose the flab. It all has to do with the body's release of insulin, which Atkins refers to as "your fat-producing hormone." So eat all the cheeseburgers, omelets, sausages and sour cream you like, but shun rice, potatoes, pasta and bread.

The Experts' Rating: D

Rating Explained: "Dr. Atkins' insulin theory may have some validity for some people with insulin problems, but overall it doesn't make a whole lot of sense," says dietitian Beth Kitchin, director of the Eat Right Information Service at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Even if the diet did lead to long-term weight loss (which is unlikely), nutritional experts point out that the high-fat content isn't going to be kind to your heart and arteries. The surfeit of protein can also add considerable stress to the kidneys.

One other downside: The Atkins diet is infamous for giving its devotees horrendously bad breath.

The Atkins Legacy: Although the medical establishment views his theories negatively, Atkins' books have sold millions. No doubt seeking to cash in on the craze, others have spun off their own anti-carbohydrate tomes. These include Enter the Zone, and Sugar Busters! as well as the near-clones Protein Power, by Drs. Michael and Mary Dan Eades and The Carbohydrates Addict's Lifespan Program, by Drs. Richard and Rachael Heller.

THE ZONE

Read all about it!

Enter The Zone; Mastering the Zone; Zone Perfect Meals in Minutes; Anti-Aging Zone

Author/Diet Guru: Dr. Barry Sears, a biochemist.

The Theory & The Plan: "Think of the body as a biological pinball machine," writes Sears. (The parentheticals that follow are his, not ours.) "The pinballs (the essential fatty acids) are constantly being put into play by the plunger (the fat) you eat at every meal. Whether the balls remain in play (making good eicosanoids) or end up in the well (making bad ecicosanoids) depends upon how well you handle the flippers." Got that?

Sears presents a complex theory which, like that of Atkins, identifies carbohydrates as the root of obesity. But Sears — unlike Atkins who recommends the wholesale reduction of carbohydrates — believes that carbs must be reduced in painstakingly delicate fashion, and only to a point. His diet plan demands a precise 4-3-3 ratio of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

The Experts' Rating: C-

Rating Explained: Sears' diet can be somewhat more nutritionally balanced than the diet recommended by Atkins. Still, the diet is restrictive and without research to support its claims. Moreover, one must first read the 328-page book before following the diet. And that's no easy feat. "I've never met a single person who has read Sears' book and understood it," says Dr. Arthur Frank, medical director of the George Washington University Weight Management Program in Washington, D.C. "In my view, The Zone is a bit more malevolent than The Atkins Diet. It presents similar foolishness, but in a remarkably elaborate fashion, creating the impression of science. Sears cites lots of studies, but they're all irrelevant."

SUGAR BUSTERS!

Read all about it!

Sugar Busters!; Sugar Busters! Quick & Easy Cookbook

Author/Diet Gurus: Leighton Steward, CEO of a Fortune 500 company, along with Louisiana physicians Morrision Bethea, Samuel Andrews and Luis Balard.

The Theory & The Plan: As with several other popular diet authors, carbohydrate is the devil incarnate to the authors of Sugar Busters! But they contend that some carbs are more diabolic than others. In the form of refined sugar, the kind you find in little packets, in candies and cakes, carbohydrates should be completely banished from our diets. But even as natural sugars, such as those found in fruit and vegetables, carbs must be eaten very carefully, say the authors. They refer to a "glycemic index" that measures the degree to which a carbohydrate-containing food raises insulin levels and makes you fat.

By their reckoning, carrots, beets and corn should be avoided as much as Twix Bars, Twinkies, and Tootsie Pops.

The Experts' Rating: D

Rating Explained: Sure, North Americans eat too much refined sugar, and all those empty calories can no doubt lead to weight gain. As for the authors' glycemic index and swearing off of carrots and beets, however, "that's just crazy," says Kitchin. "Their glycemic index looks at foods in weird quantities. If you ate a meal of just carrots or beets, then there might possibly be some validity to what they contend. But who's going to eat a meal of just carrots or beets?"

EAT RIGHT 4 YOUR TYPE

Read all about it!

Eat Right 4 Your Type; Cook Right 4 Your Type

Author/Diet Guru: Dr. Peter D'Adamo, a naturopathic physician.

The Theory & The Plan: Four blood types, four different diets. To stay healthy, live longer and achieve your ideal weight, you'd better be on the right one. You're a Type O? Eat beef, buffalo, and veal. But don't eat duck or rabbit. Leeks are good, and so, too, is horseradish. But you better not eat Chinese cabbage or eggplant. Walnuts are great. Cashews are bad. You're a Type A? Eat up red snapper and snails, but steer clear of clams. Soy sauce is good for you, but gelatin is bad. Eat parsnips, but not yams.

The Experts' Rating: F

Rating Explained: "Totally fallacious. A complete con job. There's no medical evidence for anything the author alleges. Nothing but garbage," says Dr. Martin Roginsky, an endocrinologist and director of the obesity management clinic at Nassau County Medical Centre in East Meadow, L.I.

Adds George Washington University's Dr. Frank, "You'd find more truth and reason reading the entrails of a slaughtered lamb." Lamb, by the way, is recommended for Types O and B, but not for Type A.

VOLUMETRICS

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Volumetrics

Author/Diet Guru: Dr. Barbara Rolls, a professor of nutrition at Penn State, and journalist Robert Barnett.

The Theory & The Plan: Regardless of the kinds of food you eat, you tend to eat approximately the same weight in food every day, say the authors. So the key to a tighter waist, they reckon, is to eat mainly foods that weigh a lot, but have few calories. Foods that fill the bill are those packed full of water, foods such as soups, juicy fresh fruits (think grapefruit), vegetables, tofu, cottage cheese, yogurt, mushy cooked grains and skim milk. Unlike some other popular diet books (particularly Sugar Busters!, which downright pooh-poohs exercise), Volumetrics touts physical activity as an integral part of belly banishment.

The Experts' Rating: A-

Rating Explained: "The book is slightly misleading in that there is still some controversy as to whether volume is a primary determinant of how much we eat, but over-all the authors present very sound and reasonable advice," says Frank. "The diet they recommend is well-balanced and likely to help someone make progress in losing weight."

Commercial Weight Loss Programs

Weight Watchers

Company: Weight Watchers International, Inc., founded in 1963

The Theory & Attack Plan: WW members get a simple plan (called the 1 2 3 Success Program) that assigns points to foods based on their fat, calorie, and fibre content. (Fat is bad. Fibre is good. High-calorie is bad.) For example, an apple would be one point, and a slice of cheese pizza, 9 points.

The number of points you can consume in a day without breaking your budget will depend on your height and your current weight, but you can bank extra points with lots of exercise. Each week you must attend a WW meeting, weigh in (privately) and share your dieting trials and tribulations with a support group. The meetings are led by successful WW alumni who get special training in nutrition.

Cost: Membership charges vary with locale, but generally run about $36 to enrol, and then $15 a week.

The Experts' Rating: A-

Rating Explained: "A reasonable program that can be very helpful for some people. WW provides basic nutrition information in an easy-to-understand fashion, as well as good support and reinforcement," says Frank. "Unfortunately, there has been little data on the program's rate of long-term success."

Weight Watchers seeks to correct that, and is currently sponsoring a two-year clinical study of over 400 men and women.

Preliminary data taken after 26 weeks shows that 53 per cent of WW participants lost 5 per cent or more of their body weight, compared to 15 per cent of dieters doing their own thing.

For more, see http://www.weightwatchers.com or call 1-800-651-6000 (connects you to the Weight Watchers office closest to you).

JENNY CRAIG

Company: Jenny Craig, Inc., founded in 1983

The Theory & Attack Plan: Jenny offers a comprehensive program that includes pre-packaged low-cal meals and snacks, strategies for managing stress (healthier strategies than pigging out on Oreos) and tips for increasing physical activity.

Unlike Weight Watcher's group approach, Jenny Craig counsellors work with members on a one-to-one basis. Counsellor and client usually meet once a week.

Cost: At present, a lifetime membership is approximately $365. That includes counselling, but not the menu items. Over time, the plan allows you to make the transition to your own foods.

The Experts' Rating: B-

Rating Explained: "Like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig offers a reasonable program with decent nutrition. But Weight Watchers' counsellors tend to be better trained," says Frank.

"Jenny Craig's counsellors may be caring and compassionate, but they're primarily salespeople with little training in nutrition or exercise." There are no studies to show the effectiveness of Jenny Craig's program, and none are planned for the near future.

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