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Going to Extremes
The Dangers of Diets and the Real Key to Long-Term Weight Loss
By Jill Weisenberger, M.S., R.D., C.D.E.
"It's not just about eating low-fat foods," says Cathy Nonas, registered dietitian at North General Hospital in New York City. "It's how you put the whole diet together. It's smart to include lots of foods rich in fiber like fruits, vegetables and whole grains."
avoiding foods known to have health-enhancing properties – specifically fruits, vegetables and whole-grains. A survey conducted for the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) shows that greater than three-fourths of Americans believe that to lose weight, the kind of food they eat is more important than the amount they eat.
But nutrition consultant and researcher Marjorie Freedman, Ph.D., points out that calories are the main determinant of weight loss. "All diets that reduce caloric intake result in weight loss, but it appears that only those people who continue to eat a diet low in calories, plus who exercise, are successful at long-term weight maintenance," she says.
The very foods avoided by many dieters are the ones rich in fiber that are clearly linked to a lower risk of colon cancer, according to the AICR. Similarly, these same foods – fruits, vegetables and whole-grains – are rich in vitamins and phytochemicals (disease-fighting compounds) linked to a lower risk of several cancers.
