Reliable Weight Control Programs

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Reliable Weight Control Programs

• Pennington Biomedical Research Center
• Division of Education

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General features
A Diet Plan is sound if it

• Provides recommendations that are safe and are
  supported by scientific evidence.
• Suggests receiving a physicians approval prior
  to initiating the plan.
• Improves overall health and shows positive
  changes in lifestyle.

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Nutrition

• Meets nutritional needs.
• Includes a variety of foods
• Emphasizes low fat foods
• Includes adequate fluids ( 8 glasses a day? 64
  oz).

A Diet Plan is sound if it
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Nutrition
A Diet Plan is sound if it

• Encourages eating smaller portions of nutritious
  foods but minimizes hunger or fatigue.
• Doesnt exclude entire classes of food items.
• Considers individual food preferences.

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Nutrition
A Diet Plan is sound if it

• Includes reasonable amounts of fiber and complex
  carbohydrates.
• Reduces caloric intake to no lower than 1000
  Kcal/d.
• At this level, one should consume fortified
  foods and/or take multi vitamin-mineral
  supplement.
• Recommends losing in the range of 1/2 to 2 pounds
  a week.

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Nutrition
A Diet Plan is sound if it

• Avoids requiring special or costly supplements
  and foods
• Incorporates readily obtainable foods.
• Avoids making claims about the superiority of the
  plan or a particular food or supplement.
• Promotes reshaping food habits and lifestyle to
  maintain weight loss.

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Physical fitness
A Diet Plan is sound if it

• Includes suggestions for altering sedentary
  behaviors.
• Encourages engaging in daily aerobic activities
  that last at least half an hour.
• Recommends physical activities that are safe and
  considers special health concerns.

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Social needs
A Diet Plan is sound if it

• Provides practical suggestions for modifying
  food-related attitudes and behaviors
• Educates about the need to set realistic weight
  loss goals
• Includes techniques to monitor progress
• such as recording waist-hip circumferences,
  frequent weighing

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Social needs
A Diet Plan is sound if it

• Builds positive self-esteem
• Provides strategies for coping with setbacks,
  difficult situations, and non-supportive people
• Offers opportunities for group support

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Avoid diets with the following components

• Excludes groups of foods
• Grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy
• Uses a lot of testimonials
• Doesnt allow mixing of food groups
• Doesnt allow all types of foods at all meals
• Uses a lot of special ingredients
• Promises quick weight loss (more than 1-2 pounds
  a week)
• Promises to be a cure for various other ailments

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Prior to Starting the Plan
If any of the following are true, the individual
should seek advice from a physician

• He or she has existing health problems, such as
  heart disease or hypertension
• He or she plans to lose weight as quickly as
  possible
• He or she is over 40 years of age for men or 50
  years of age for women and plans to perform
  substantially increased physical activity

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References

• http//www.essentialnutrition.org/lowcarb.php
• Wardlaw G, Kessel M. Perspectives in Nutrition.
  5th ed. 2002
• http//www.google.com

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Pennington Biomedical Research CenterDivision of
Education

• Heli Roy, PhD, RD
• Outreach Coordinator
• Phillip Brantley, PhD,
• Director, Division of Education
• Claude Bouchard, PhD
• Director, Pennington Biomedical Research Center