Food faddism
Encyclopedia
The phrases food faddism and fad diet originally referred to idiosyncratic diets and eating patterns that promote short-term weight loss, usually with no concern for long-term weight maintenance, and enjoy temporary popularity.
The term has been co-opted in recent years by mainstream nutritionists to criticize ideas that challenge conventional wisdom, particularly low-carbohydrate diets.
The term food fad may also be used with a positive connotation, namely, to describe the short term popularity among restaurants and consumers of an ingredient, dish, or preparation technique.
claims, but others labeled "fad" are based on science. According to one definition, fad diets claim to be scientific but do not follow the scientific method in establishing their validity. Among the scientific shortcomings of the claims made in support of fad diets:
The term "fad diet" has been pulled into the debate in the scientific community over the physiology of weight gain and loss. It has been used by proponents of established views to discount the body of science cited by others, particularly low-carbohydrate diets. Some researchers hold to the established belief that weight loss is strictly a function of a reduction in caloric intake, and that no other strategy can help dieters achieve long term weight loss. Their position has been eroded by numerous studies that finds low-carbohydrate diets as effective or more effective than calorie restriction. JAMA
In recent years food fad has become a popular pejorative term used by the mainstream nutritional and medical community to dismiss ideas and research that differ from their world view. A fad by definition involves a quick and brief surge in popularity. The Atkins diet and the Paleo diet both emerged in the 1970s, yet mainstream nutritionists disparage them as fad diets four decades later. Fad diets are often called "irrational" or "unscientific," which is disingenious since many of the criticized diets were developed by medical doctors, Atkins, for example, or accomplished researchers such as biochemist Barry Sears
, who created the Zone diet.
FamilyDoctor.org, a publication of the American Academy of Family Physicians, for example proclaims that fad diets "typically don't result in long-term weight loss and they are usually not very healthy. In fact, some of these diets can actually be dangerous to your health.
They then offer a long list that includes low-carbohydrate diets in general and Atkins, the Zone diet and three others by name.
Numerous scientific studies contradict the website's assertions. A 2007 study published in the Journal of American Medicine concluded that women on the Atkins diet lost more weight than those on low-fat diets after 12 months. The researchers concluded that low-carbohydrate diets are a "feasible alternative recommendation for weight loss."
The term has been co-opted in recent years by mainstream nutritionists to criticize ideas that challenge conventional wisdom, particularly low-carbohydrate diets.
The term food fad may also be used with a positive connotation, namely, to describe the short term popularity among restaurants and consumers of an ingredient, dish, or preparation technique.
Scientific view
"Fad diet" is a term of popular media, not science. Some so-called fad diets may make pseudo-scientificPseudoscience
Pseudoscience is a claim, belief, or practice which is presented as scientific, but which does not adhere to a valid scientific method, lacks supporting evidence or plausibility, cannot be reliably tested, or otherwise lacks scientific status...
claims, but others labeled "fad" are based on science. According to one definition, fad diets claim to be scientific but do not follow the scientific method in establishing their validity. Among the scientific shortcomings of the claims made in support of fad diets:
- not being open to revisions, whereas real science is
- observations that prompt explanations are used as evidence of the validity of the explanation
The term "fad diet" has been pulled into the debate in the scientific community over the physiology of weight gain and loss. It has been used by proponents of established views to discount the body of science cited by others, particularly low-carbohydrate diets. Some researchers hold to the established belief that weight loss is strictly a function of a reduction in caloric intake, and that no other strategy can help dieters achieve long term weight loss. Their position has been eroded by numerous studies that finds low-carbohydrate diets as effective or more effective than calorie restriction. JAMA
Fad diets
Food fad is term originally used to describe simple, catchy diets that often focused on a single element such as cabbage, grapefruit or cottage cheese. In 1974, the term was defined as three categories of food fads.- A particular food or food group is exaggerated and purported to cure specific diseases.
- Foods are eliminated from an individual’s diet because they are viewed as harmful.
- An emphasis is placed on eating certain foods to express a particular lifestyle.
In recent years food fad has become a popular pejorative term used by the mainstream nutritional and medical community to dismiss ideas and research that differ from their world view. A fad by definition involves a quick and brief surge in popularity. The Atkins diet and the Paleo diet both emerged in the 1970s, yet mainstream nutritionists disparage them as fad diets four decades later. Fad diets are often called "irrational" or "unscientific," which is disingenious since many of the criticized diets were developed by medical doctors, Atkins, for example, or accomplished researchers such as biochemist Barry Sears
Barry Sears
Barry Sears, Ph.D. is a biochemist best known for creating and promoting the Zone diet, which is aimed at achieving stable blood sugar levels, hormonal balance, low inflammation, and good health...
, who created the Zone diet.
FamilyDoctor.org, a publication of the American Academy of Family Physicians, for example proclaims that fad diets "typically don't result in long-term weight loss and they are usually not very healthy. In fact, some of these diets can actually be dangerous to your health.
They then offer a long list that includes low-carbohydrate diets in general and Atkins, the Zone diet and three others by name.
Numerous scientific studies contradict the website's assertions. A 2007 study published in the Journal of American Medicine concluded that women on the Atkins diet lost more weight than those on low-fat diets after 12 months. The researchers concluded that low-carbohydrate diets are a "feasible alternative recommendation for weight loss."
Examples
Programs often considered fad diets:- Cabbage soup dietCabbage soup dietThe cabbage soup diet is a radical weight loss diet designed around heavy consumption of a low-calorie cabbage soup over the time of seven days. It is generally considered a fad diet, in that it is designed for short-term weight-loss and requires no long-term commitment...
- Grapefruit dietGrapefruit dietThe grapefruit diet, also known as the Hollywood Diet and erroneously as the Mayo Clinic Diet, is a short-term fad diet that has existed in the United States since at least the 1930s. . The diet is based on the claim that grapefruit has a fat-burning enzyme or similar property...
(a.k.a. the Hollywood Diet and erroneously as the Mayo Clinic Diet) - FruitarianismFruitarianismFruitarianism involves the practice of following a diet that includes fruits, nuts and seeds, without animal products, vegetables and grains. Fruitarianism is a subset of dietary veganism....
- Israeli Army dietIsraeli Army dietThe Israeli Army diet was a fad diet that was popular in the 1970s. It was promoted as being based on the diet used by the Israel Defence Forces for new recruits but had no connection with the Israeli Army....
- Nutrisystem
- Paleolithic dietPaleolithic dietThe modern dietary regimen known as the Paleolithic diet , also popularly referred to as the caveman diet, Stone Age diet and hunter-gatherer diet, is a nutritional plan based on the presumed ancient diet of wild plants and animals that various hominid species habitually consumed during the...
- South Beach DietSouth Beach DietThe South Beach Diet is a diet plan designed by cardiologist Arthur Agatston and dietician Marie Almon as an alternative to low-fat approaches such as the Ornish Diet and the Pritikin Diet advocated by the American Heart Association in the 1980s. Although the original purpose of the diet was to...
- Gerson therapy
- Low-fat dietLow-fat dietAccording to the USDA, a low-fat diet as the name implies is a diet that consists of little fat, especially saturated fat and cholesterol, which are thought to lead to increased blood cholesterol levels and heart attack...
- Morning banana dietMorning banana dietThe Morning Banana Diet is a diet intended to cause weight loss. It gained popularity in Japan in 2008, causing shortages of bananas in food stores. Some observers considered it to be a fad diet....
- Low-carbohydrate dietLow-carbohydrate dietLow-carbohydrate diets or low-carb diets are dietary programs that restrict carbohydrate consumption usually for weight control or for the treatment of obesity. Foods high in digestible carbohydrates are limited or replaced with foods containing a higher percentage of proteins and fats...
- Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution
- The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet
- Protein Power
- Sugar BustersSugar BustersThe Sugar Busters diet is a diet focused on eliminating foods containing refined carbohydrates such as refined sugar, white flour, and white rice, as well as naturally occurring carbohydrates rating high on the glycemic index such as potatoes and carrots....
- Zone dietZone dietThe Zone diet is a diet popularized in books by biochemist Barry Sears. It advocates consuming calories from carbohydrates, protein, and fat in a balanced ratio.- Theory :...
- High carb/low fat diets
- Dr. Dean Ornish: Eat More, Weigh LessDean OrnishDean Michael Ornish, M.D., is president and founder of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California, as well as Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco....
- The Good Carbohydrate RevolutionTerry ShintaniTerry Shintani, MD, JD, MPH, KSJ is a physician, attorney, nutritionist, author, lecturer, radio show host and community advocate. He is formally designated a "Living Treasure of Hawaii"....
- The Pritikin Principle
- Dr. Dean Ornish: Eat More, Weigh Less
- Controlled portion sizes
- Dr. Shapiro's Picture Perfect Weight Loss
- Volumetrics Weight-Control Plan
- Food combining
- Fit for LifeFit for LifeFit for Life is a diet and lifestyle stemming from the principles of natural hygiene, an offshoot of naturopathic medicine. It is promoted mainly by the American writers Harvey and Marilyn Diamond...
- Suzanne Somers' Somersizing
- Fit for Life
- Liquid diets
- Cambridge Diet
- Slim-Fast
- Diet pills and herbal remedies
- Dexatrim Natural
- HydroxycutHydroxycutHydroxycut is the brand name of a series of dietary supplements marketed as an aid to weight loss. According to a 2009 paper in the World Journal of Gastroenterology, Hydroxycut is the most popular brand of weight-loss supplement, selling approximately 1 million units per year. On May 1, 2009, the...
- Metabolife 356
- Eat Right For Your Type: The Blood Type Diet
- Macrobiotics