Missy Clay’s daughter, Kristen Clay, a registered clinical dietitian at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center in Knoxville, TN, had an article published on her employer’s website warning of the dangers of Food Fads. Given that we covered nutrition labels in our wellness program this month, what a timely supplement! Thanks Kristen!

Diets – they are always a hot topic when the new year rolls around. The Centers for Disease Control reports that about 70% of American adults over 20 are overweight or obese. And according to a 2016 Gallup poll, in research conducted for this decade, 60% of women and 46% of men say they would like to lose weight.

Kristen Clay, a registered clinical dietitian at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center, says the endless search for an elusive miracle diet rages on. The New Year’s resolution most often made – and most often broken – is weight loss.

Not surprisingly, many dieters fall for trendy diets, which Clay says are often prone to failure and may even be hazardous to your health.

For example, low-carb diets are immensely popular. They may have different goals, such as helping body builders or athletes build muscle or helping identify foods which may be purported to cause inflammation or damage to the digestive system. But they often share similar guidelines.

One low-carb approach focuses on meats, vegetables and fruits. “The idea behind it is that you’re getting rid of processed foods that are usually high in fats and sugars,” Clay says. “But you are eating a lot of the higher-fat meats. If you are looking at it from a weight loss perspective, you’re not going to be successful.

Other approaches may limit or eliminate foods such as refined grains, legumes, dairy, and alcohol, and processed foods such as condiments and artificial sweeteners.

Read Kristen’s Full Article Here