The Facts about Weight Loss Products and Programs

At PT.com.sg, we cannot stress enough the importance of a proper exercise and nutritional plan when it comes to slimming effectively. We frown when we see companies try to sell supplements or services that claim to induce slimming but are actually unsupported by science and may even be harmful. Some side effects of these products may include dehydration and inadequate absorption of healthy fatty acids which are essential for health. Death is uncommon but has happened before (think Slim10).

We repeat again - QUICK FIXES DO NOT WORK! You have to sacrifice to get results, be it giving up your favourite food or making time to work out at the gym. For those who fallen victim to these slimming methods, our advice is - 'Never Give Up!'

To add on to our 'Weight Loss Scams In Singapore' article, now we bring you another piece of very informative article by the Federal Trade Commission & Food and Drug Administration, USA. This is a must read if you are embarking on a journey to get a slimmer you.

Presented as a Public Service by:
Federal Trade Commission
Food and Drug Administration
National Association of Attorneys General
The Slimming Industry

Looking for a fast and easy way to slimming? You're not alone. An estimated fifty million Americans will go on slimming diets this year. And while some will succeed in taking the weight off, very few--perhaps five percent--will manage to keep all of it off in the long run.
One reason for the low success rate is that many people look for rapid and easy solutions to their weight problems. They find it hard to believe that in this age of scientific innovations and medical miracles, an effortless slimming method does not exist.
So they succumb to quick-fix slimming claims like "Eat All You Want and Still Remain Slim!" or "Melt Fat Away While You Sleep!" And they invest their hopes (and their money) in all manner of slimming pills, potions, gadgets, and slimming programs that hold the promise of a slimmer, happier future.
The slimming business is one booming industry. Americans spend an estimated thirty billion dollars per year on all kinds of slimming programs and products. Trying to sort out all of the competing claims--often misleading, unproven, or just plain false - can be confusing and expensive.
This brochure is designed to give you the facts behind the claims and to help you avoid the outright scams, to encourage you to consider thoroughly the costs and consequences of the decisions you make about sliming.

Facts about Slimming
Being overweight can have very serious health consequences. These include an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, gallstones, some forms of cancer and many more. Losing weight can help decrease these risks. Here are a few general points to keep in mind:

Slimming Diet Programs
Approximately eight million Americans a year enrol in some kind of structured slimming diet program involving liquid diets, special diet regimens, or medical or other supervision. In 1991, about 8,500 commercial slimming centres were in operation across the country, many of them owned by well-known multinational companies.

Before you join such a slimming program, you should know that according to published studies relatively few participants succeed in keeping off weight long-term. Recently, the Federal Trade Commission brought action against several companies challenging slimming and weight-maintenance claims. Unfortunately, some other companies still continue to make overblown claims.

The Federal Trade Commission stopped 1 company from claiming its diet program caused rapid slimming through the use of tablets that would "burn fat" and a protein drink mix that would adjust metabolism. The Federal Trade Commission also took action against 3 major programs using doctor-supervised, very low-calorie liquid diets, and they agreed to stop making claims unless they could back them up with hard data.
Before you sign up with a diet program, you should ask these questions:

Searching for the "Magic Bullet"
Some dieters peg their hopes on pills and capsules that promise to "burn," "block," "flush," or otherwise eliminate fat from the system. But science has yet to come up with a low-risk "magic bullet" for slimming. Some pills may help control the appetite, but they can have serious side effects. (Amphetamines, for instance, are highly addictive and can have an adverse impact on the heart and central nervous system.) Other pills are utterly worthless.

The Federal Trade Commission and a number of state Attorney General have successfully brought cases against marketers of pills claiming to absorb or burn fat. The Food and Drug Administration has banned 111 ingredients once found in over-the-counter diet products. None of these substances, which include alcohol, caffeine, dextrose, and guar gum, have proved effective in slimming or appetite suppression.
Beware of the following products that are touted as slimming wonders:

Clues to Fraud
It is important for consumers to be wary of claims that sound too good to be true. When it comes to slimming schemes, consumers should be particularly sceptical of claims containing words and phrases like:

Phony Devices and Gadgets
Phony weight-loss devices range from those that are simply ineffective to those that are truly dangerous to your health. At minimum, they are a waste of your hard-earned money. Some of the fraudulent gadgets that have been marketed to hopeful dieters over the years include:

Logical Weight Maintenance Tips
Slimming may not be effortless, but it doesn't have to be complicated. To achieve long-term results, it's best to avoid quick-fix slimming schemes and complex regimens. Focus instead on making modest changes to your life's daily routine. A balanced, healthy diet and sensible, regular exercise are the keys to maintaining your slim figure. Although nutritional science is constantly evolving, here are some generally-accepted guidelines for slimming:

Have you uncovered any weight loss scams in Singapore lately?

 

 

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