DITCH THE FAD DIET
HEALTHY WEIGHT WEEK IS JANUARY 16-22, 2005

SAN DIEGO, Calif., - January 2005 - January is a very appropriate month for healthy weight awareness. For starters, most Americans have chosen to lose weight as one, if not their sole, New Year's resolutions. The quicker and the thinner, the better, right?

Being overweight and underweight can contribute to many health-related problems. According to the American Dietetic Association, "Research has shown excess weight is a serious health problem for many Americans, increasing their risk of developing a number of serious illnesses, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and high blood pressure. Being underweight is linked with heart problems, lowered resistance to infection, chronic fatigue, anemia, depression and other illnesses."

In America, children and adolescents are among our greatest sufferers from inadequate diets, which can also stunt growth and impair mental as well as physical development says Frances M. Berg, M.S., author of Children and Teens Afraid to Eat: Helping Youth in Today's Weight-Obsessed World.

Other than inadequate diets, Shoshana Kobrin, M.A., Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and an eating disorder specialist says that weight problems, whether overweight or underweight, are also associated with people that are victims of emotional eating and:

- Are constantly on (or off!) a diet

- Lose weight only to gain it back

- Worry about weight, body and appearance

- Use food to relieve uncomfortable feelings

- Feel anxious, depressed, alone or empty

- Are self critical and inadequate

Americans resort to various weight loss gimmicks and fad diets that promise quick and great results,
but which are by and large NOT healthy. Familydoctor.org offers these tips to assist in recognizing
fad diets:

- Claim to help you lose weight very quickly (more than 1 or 2 pounds per week). Remember, it took time for you to gain unwanted weight and it will take time tolose it.

- Promise that you can lose weight and keep it off without giving up "fatty"foods or exercising on a regular basis. If a diet plan or product sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

- Base claims on "before and after" photos.

- Offer testimonials from clients or "experts" in weight loss, science or nutrition. Remember that these people are probably being paid to advertise the diet plan or product.

- Draw simple conclusions from complex medical research.

- Limit your food choices and don't encourage you to get balanced nutrition by eating a variety of foods.

- Require you to spend a lot of money on things like seminars, pills or prepackaged meals
in order for the plan to work.

Emotional eating has an underlying cause-AND a solution which marriage and family therapists are trained to address.

If you feel you that you can benefit from a healthier eating plan, consult a professional. Who can help? Therapists specializing in eating disorders, registered dieticians and nutritionists, and your family doctor can speak with you about eating right and maintaining healthy weight, healthy eating and healthy lifestyle.

Resources: www.counselingcalifornia.com
www.eatright.org
www.diabetes.org 1-800-DIABETES - Weight Loss Matters Program
www.healthyweight.net
www.familydoctor.org

About CAMFT
The California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) is an independent professional organization representing the interests of licensed marriage and family therapists. CAMFT has twenty-seven chapters throughout the state to serve the interests of California marriage and family therapists. CAMFT provides CounselingCalifornia.com as a resource to prospective patients looking for marriage and family therapists located in California. For more information on CAMFT, please call 858-292-2638 or www.camft.org.

Media Contact: Amber Albrecht
Porter Novelli
Phone: (619) 687-7015 or (949) 500-2535
E-mail: amber.albrecht@porternovelli.com