What You Need to Know About Weight-Loss Programs
Don't be tempted by gimmicky products or programs that promise quick and easy weight loss. Here's what you need to know to slim down without wasting your money.
By Vera Gibbons
January 2, 2007
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1. Meetings and diet shakes trump counting carbs. The holidays are over, and you, like so many Americans, would like to shed some pounds. But don't be tempted by gimmicky products or programs that promise quick and easy weight loss. "You may succeed initially, but as few as 5% of dieters manage to keep the pounds off," says David Grotto, spokesman for the American Dietetic Association. So which program offers you the best hope for lasting results? Weight Watchers, according to Consumer Reports, which recently analyzed and assessed a number of diets. "The program has a long history of success because it doesn't demonize food," says Grotto, "and the weekly support meetings and journals are effective tools." Slim-Fast products also get high marks.
2. Beware the extras. You've seen the ads: "Join for only $9.99 per week!" "Lose all the weight you want for just $39.99!" But that may be just the beginning, says Judith Stern, distinguished professor of nutrition and internal medicine at the University of California at Davis. "Some programs won't tell you about the additional costs up front." Commission-based representatives may aggressively hawk such products as nutrition bars, shakes, supplements and vitamins. Furthermore, they could guilt-trip you into buying those extras, insinuating that you're a failure if you don't. Your best defense: Get a list of all the costs, in writing, before joining any program.
3. Qualifications may be slim. If you're making a lifestyle change that could affect your health, you want advice from a professional -- not a once-heavy person turned thin who passes off before-and-after pictures as qualifications for giving advice to other dieters. But, says Grotto, that's often what you get. "Many programs do not include registered dietitians, and the training is questionable." Ask to see credentials before you sign up.
4. Most claims are bogus. "Lose weight while you sleep!" The skinny on this and other weight-loss claims? Most are bogus, according to the Federal Trade Commission, which went after the marketers of a number of products in Operation Big Fat Lie, a deceptive-advertising crackdown. So why is fraudulent advertising still so rampant in the weight-loss industry? "The FTC can put out only so many fires," says Stern. "If I were Empress for the Day, I would double their budget." If you have complaints about a weight-loss program or product, contact your state attorney general's office, the FTC or the Better Business Bureau.
5. Duped? Your refund may never come. Weight-loss products and money-back guarantees go together like cookies and milk. But guarantees are only as good as the company behind them. Based on the number of complaints logged in 2004 by the BBB -- 1,055 -- there are plenty of shady operators out there. Before committing to a product or program, request a business-reliability report by going to the BBB Web site. You can also call the Food and Drug Administration (888-723-3366) if you have questions. If a promotion sounds too good to be true, it probably is.