Fad Diets: The Effectiveness and Health Implications Essay -- America

Fad Diets: The Effectiveness and Health Implications As humans we are the only creatures who create food into more than just a nutritional need for survival. The American culture and society has a preoccupation with food, which poses a set of challenges for both the physical and mental body to maintain health (Abrams & Wells, 2005). This preoccupation of food causes many medical risks such as obesity, binge eating, food addiction, and eating disorders (Cogan & Ernsberger, 1999). Ward-Smith (2010) defines obesity as a body mass index (BMI) at 30 or above, calculated using height and weight measurements. Abrams and Wells (2005) state that obesity has grown from a moderate concern for few individuals to an epidemic health crisis effecting millions. More than 35% of all adults in the U.S are considered obese (Ward-Smith, 2010; Roehrig, Thompson, & Cafri, 2008). Ward-Smith (2010) stresses that over-weight and obese individuals cost the United States economy an estimated $117 billion. In addition to the costly effects, are comorbid with many negative health risks, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, sleep apnea, and more (Ward-Smith, 2010; Roehrig, Thompson, & Cafri, 2008). The effects of obese and overweight individuals impact both the person experiencing the weight through mental and physical risk, as well as the society in which they live in through cost factors. According to Abrams and colleagues (2005), America does not only have a preoccupation with food but an obsession with excessive weight-loss. Media has created a popular desired image of thinness and skinny. As stated by Abrams and Wells (2005), media portrays images of anorexic individuals as beautiful, sexy, and desired within our world. Severe risks and repercuss... ...Obesity - Part III: A Rapid Review of Some of the More Popular Low-Carbohydrate Diets. Urologic Nursing, 24(5), 442-445. O'Dea, J. A., & Abraham, S. (2001). Knowledge, Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behaviors Related to Weight Control, Eating Disorders, and Body Image in Australian Trainee Home Economics and Physical Education Teachers. Journal Of Nutrition Education, 33(6), 332. Roehrig, M., Thompson, J., & Cafri, G. (2008). Effects of dieting-related messages on psychological and weight control variables. International Journal Of Eating Disorders, 41(2), 164-173. doi:10.1002/eat.2047010.1002/eat.20470 Saltzman, E., Thomason, P., & Roberts, S. B. (2001). Fad Diets: A Review for the Primary Care Provider. Nutrition In Clinical Care, 4(5), 235-242. doi:10.1046/j.1523-5408.2001.00003. Ward-Smith, P. (2010). Obesity -- America's Health Crisis. Urologic Nursing, 30(4), 242-245