1. Reliable Weight Control
Programs
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Division of Education
www.pbrc.edu Publication # 15
2. General features
A Diet Plan is sound if it:
Provides recommendations that are safe
and are supported by scientific evidence.
Suggests receiving a physician’s approval
prior to initiating the plan.
Improves overall health and shows
positive changes in lifestyle.
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3. Nutrition
A Diet Plan is sound if it:
Meets nutritional needs.
Includes a variety of foods
Emphasizes low fat foods
Includes adequate fluids (all fluids equal to 8
glasses a day or 64 oz).
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4. Nutrition
A Diet Plan is sound if it:
Encourages eating smaller portions of nutritious
foods but minimizes hunger or fatigue.
Doesn’t exclude entire classes of food items.
Considers individual food preferences.
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5. 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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6. 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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7. 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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8. 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, food record
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9. 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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10. Avoid diets with the following
components:
Excludes groups of foods
Grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy
Uses a lot of testimonials
Doesn’t allow mixing of food groups
Doesn’t 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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11. 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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13. Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Division of Education
Heli J. Roy, PhD, MBA, RD
Beth Kalicki
Phillip Brantley, PhD,
Director, Division of Education
Steven Heymsfield, MD
Director, Pennington Biomedical Research Center
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14. About Our Company…
The Pennington Biomedical Research Center is a world-renowned nutrition research center.
Mission:
To promote healthier lives through research and education in nutrition and preventive medicine.
The Pennington Center has several research areas, including:
Clinical Obesity Research
Experimental Obesity
Functional Foods
Health and Performance Enhancement
Nutrition and Chronic Diseases
Nutrition and the Brain
Dementia, Alzheimer’s and healthy aging
Diet, exercise, weight loss and weight loss maintenance
The research fostered in these areas can have a profound impact on healthy living and on the prevention of common
chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, hypertension and osteoporosis.
The Division of Education provides education and information to the scientific community and the public about
research findings, training programs and research areas, and coordinates educational events for the public on various
health issues.
We invite people of all ages and backgrounds to participate in the exciting research studies being conducted at the
Pennington Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. If you would like to take part, visit the clinical trials web page at
www.pbrc.edu or call (225) 763-3000.
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Notes de l'éditeur
This presentation is about reliable weight control programs.
What are some of the features of reliable weight control programs. They are sound if they are based in science and results in overall improved health and well being and the weight loss can be sustained after the dieting phase is over. There should also be a recommendation for getting a physical before beginning the diet program.
Diet plan is sound if it meets all nutritional needs (other than calories), it includes a wide variety of common foods that are low in fat and high in fiber. It includes adequate fluids.
The diet plan is sound if it limits portion sizes. If the diet states that you can eat all you want, watch out, it is most likely not a sound plan. It also needs to be inclusive of all the different food groups and it should include statements recognizing individual food preferences (not liking mushrooms etc).
The diet should promote the consumption of whole foods that include natural plant fiber and complex carbohydrates. It should not be extremely limiting in calories, to maximize sound weight loss. It should recommend a slow weight loss of half to one pound a week. High weekly weight loss cannot be sustained and the diet will not provide adequate nutrients then.
The diet plan should not ask for exotic, hard to find ingredients but use normal foods that can be obtained locally. It should not make claims that it is superior to any other diet out there. It should also help the individual to improve his or her eating habits.
The diet plan should give suggestions for increasing energy expenditure and give examples of activities and exercises that promote health. It should recommend physical activity as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2005). It should also recommend activities that can be done by most people.
The diet plan should suggest behaviors that are successful in dealing with cravings, boredom, rewards, and changing shape. It should help setting realistic goals. It should have techniques that individuals can use for monitoring progress over time.
The diet plan should build positive self esteem, provide strategies for dealing with difficult situations and people and offer opportunities to work in groups.
The diet plan should be avoided if it excludes groups of foods, it does not allow mixing of food groups, or it uses a lot of uncommon ingredients. Also, a dead giveaway that the diet is a fad diet if is that it uses a lot of testimonials or promises quick weight loss. Many fad diets may also promise cures for allergies, skin disorders, joint pains or many other ailments.
If you have any of the following, make sure to consult a doctor before you begin any type of diet program. have heart disease or hypertension plan to lose weight as quickly as possible is over 40 years of age for men or 50 years of age for women and plans to perform substantially increased physical activity