Avoid fad diet options

When it comes to weight loss, skip the fads.

It shouldn't be any surprise that a healthy eating pattern, in conjunction with regular physical activity, is the best means of producing sustainable weight loss and preventing many chronic diseases.

According to LSU AgCenter nutritionist Beth Reames, healthy diets are rich in whole grains, vegetables and fruit, with very limited calories from saturated fats and their cousin, trans fats.

The American College of Preventive Medicine, an organization of physicians specializing in disease prevention and health promotion, opposes popular fad diets as a means for losing weight. The college voiced strong opposition to any weight loss approach that fails to take into account overall health considerations.

Although diets that restrict carbohydrates and recommend calorie intake principally from all types of fat and protein can produce weight loss in the short term and can lower cholesterol, the ACPM statement points out that people can attain rapid weight loss and lower cholesterol by eliminating any entire food category from their diets.

But rapid weight loss is not healthy - or permanent - weight loss.

According to the group's studies, the dietary pattern or range of patterns that best promotes human health in the long term is rich in whole grains, vegetables and fruit. It also has limited calories from saturated and trans fats.

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