Another day, another magic bullet for weight loss. News flashes about the latest “miracle superfood” or fad diet are common. They fade quickly, usually replaced by another false promise based on a “scientific breakthrough.”
This spring, a German study revealed low-carbohydrate dieters who ate 1.5 ounces of dark chocolate (about the size of a regular candy bar) every day lost 10% more weight compared to other study participants. Headlines and news reports about chocolate’s ability to accelerate weight loss mushroomed quickly.
It was all a hoax. Involving too few participants (15) over too brief a time period (three weeks), the “study” was insufficient to make any conclusions—let alone that chocolate hastens weight loss. John Bohannon, PhD, the lead author of the study, has revealed that he is really a science journalist who wanted to show how easy it is to turn faulty research into too-good-to-be-true headlines.
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He certainly proved the point.
Weight Loss Facts vs. Fairy Tales
Distinguish fad-diet hype from substantial weight-loss news by whether the article or report includes research details, such as whether the study was conducted on humans or animals; if it included a large enough study population with characteristics like yours (i.e. same gender, ethnicity/race profile and similar lifestyle), which would make it pertinent to you; whether the study recruited a group of participants large enough and continued its research for enough time to produce strong results.
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Most importantly, unless a respected, peer-reviewed journal published the research, the claims are questionable at best.
Here’s the simple truth about weight loss: It involves real, ongoing effort. Achieving and maintaining an appropriate weight requires a healthy lifestyle that includes balanced nutrition (with occasional treats like chocolate) and regular physical activity.
It’s simple, but it’s not easy. For women seeking support and motivation to meet their weight goals, the Katz Institute for Women’s Health offersCreate Your Weight, developed and instructed by registered dietitians. It’s a comprehensive program in a group setting that encourages weight loss and healthy lifestyle changes for long-term success. In addition to Create Your Weight, we offer a metabolic assessment, a simple 10-minute breath test that helps our registered dietitians determine how many calories you need to achieve and sustain meaningful weight loss results. Call 516-881-7060 to learn more.
This post was written by Sotiria Everett, RD, of the Katz Institute for Women’s Health.
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