Newspaper & Magazine Articles

Bauer, Joy. “Get the skinny on fad-diet favorites”. Health. 2007 Sept. msbnc. 16 April 2008. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20811889/

This article takes a few fad favorites and lists the pros and cons. It also lists six “red flags” or signs when trying to recognize fads. The article is helpful is taking some of the popular diets and clearly providing their premise and why they not only unrealistic but unhealthy. In addition, the webpage also provides link to other articles written by Joy Bauer, a diet expert. There is also a video clip, which may be helpful. This webpage has the total package by providing information, multimedia, and other information links. It also includes recipes that are a healthier alternative option. 

"Disordered Eating is Widespread Among U.S. Women." The Washington Post. 25 Apr. 2008. 1 June 2008 . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/25/AR2008042501895.html.

This article explains the growing trend of eating disorders in America. When conducting an online poll of over 4,000 women, it was discovered that over 75% think and behave abnormally around food. Today, eating habits such as skipping meals and participating in extreme diets has become the norm. However, these are two symptoms of disordered eating. Mostly affecting young women, especially in college, this trend is also present in older women. This article is useful because it explains a connection between eating disorders and fad dieting. In addition, it includes a separate section listing statistics, which would be helpful when writing a story. 

Schulte, Brigid. "The Search for Solutions." The Washington Post. 22 May 2008. 1 June 2008. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/09/AR2008050900666.html?sid=ST2008050900732.

This article details the widespread problem of obesity in children. Although this problem has become severe, the medical community has yet to discover how to keep children from becoming obese or how to help them lose weight. Schulte emphasizes the need to change eating habits and exercise. This article would be helpful for a journalist because it shows that the issues concerning body image and dieting can be prevented. When we are children, certain steps can be taken to stay healthy and be on the right track of eating well. 

Specialized Online Reference Sites

Food and Nutrition Information Center. 2008. 3 June 2008.  http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=4&tax_level=1

This database, provided by the National Agricultural Library, offers a wide variety of topics within dieting and nutrition. Among the topics are a food safety information center, a guide to using dietary supplements, and even a eating and health module. However, the database also allows the reader to browse through or search a list of topics and issues related to dieting. All of these include external links to educate the reader about healthy dieting and discourage unhealthy eating and dieting habits. This is a good source because it details, with external links, most everything diet-related and also includes, as part of its government affiliation, surveys, reports, and research. 

 Eat Right: American Dietetic Association. 2008. 4 June 2008.  http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/index.html

The American Dietetic Association is the largest organization of food and nutritional professionals in the world. Their main goals consist of improving the nation’s general health and advancing dieting through research. They offer information regarding many different types of diets, and include the pros and cons of all the major diets, such as the Atkins diet,  the South Beach diet, and have several sections of their website dedicated to debunking fad diet myths, and promote healthier eating. This is a good source because it discusses why fad diets achieve such popularity, and also provides scientific evidence as to why they don’t work.

For-Profit Businesses

The Diet Channel. 2008. 1 June 2008. http://www.thedietchannel.com/.

The Diet Channel is a Web community that provides information and support to dieters. They publish original articles, opinions, and commentary from nutrition professionals, as well as, provide a space for dieters to share their thoughts and interact. This site allows its users to create a profile and discover what diet is most conducive to their lifestyle. A journalist would find this business as a useful resource because it not only offers dieting suggestions but it encourages interaction. They could talk to participants and find out what works and what does not. 

WebMD: Better Information. Better Health. 2008. 1 June 2008.  http://www.webmd.com.

WebMD provides health information, tools for managing health, and support for individuals seeking medical information. They provide interactive ways to calculate BMI, as well as, a BMI goal. In addition, they include healthy proven tips and tricks that make recommendations on legitimate diets instead of "lose-weight-fast" diets. This website would be a good source because it is not only reliable but is easy to navigate. They also offer different suggestion's based on gender. 

Statistical Sources

Zilberter, Tanya. Atkins' Diet Statistics. 1 June 2008.  http://bestlowcarbs.com/article1022.html.

Analyzed by Zilberter, an associate of the Mediterranean Institute of Neurobiology, her research includes a chart listing individual's weight loss on the Atkins' Diet. With over 600 reports, she revealed that their was an increase in the percentage of dietary fat and an average weight loss of 1.48 lbs. a week. Some participants were very successful losing over 100 lbs., yet some failed and lost no weight. The trend was clear: the more time on the diet, the more weight lost. These statistics would be helpful because they show that, although their are health risks, the Atkins' diet did prove to be a somewhat successful.

The Facts on Fat. 1 June 2008.  http://www.dairygoodness.ca/en/consumers/be-well/health-milk-products/facts-on-fat/the-facts-on-fat.htm.

This website includes a chart showing the amount of fat consumed in an average Canadian diet. It is important to note that individuals on a diet still need to follow the Food Pyramid. This source not only details  sources of fat in the average diet but gives the reader a guide to follow in order to lose weight. This source is valuable because it provides information on the benefits of fat and its usefulness. Most scheme diets claim to burn fat, however, it is an essential part of our diet. This would be a helpful resource for a journalist because it is important to, also, understand what should and should not be included in a healthy diet. 

Government Documents

Losing Weight Safely.  U.S Food and Drug Administration. 6 June 2008. http://www.fda.gov/opacom/lowlit/weightls.html.

This document, released by the FDA, provides healthy options for losing weight in a safe and effective way. In addition, it explains that diet pills, without a prescription, do not make a significant difference in the amount of weight an individual loses. They also give a list of questions to ask a company when signing up for a weight-loss program. This is a good source because it provides reliable advice and simple eating habits which can help the public lose weight healthily. An document released through the FDA, would be valuable when researching fad diets. 

Larkin, Marilynn. Losing Weight Safely. FDA Consumer Magazine. 3 June 2008.  http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/196_wght.html.

Although this government document was published in 1996, the message implied still holds true today. Larkin describes the amount of money Americans are spending yearly on weight-reduction products. Although these products have proven to be extremely popular. the National Center for Health Statistics have shown that obesity is still on the rise. Reinforcing that their are no dieting shortcuts, dieters should devise an eating plan keeping in mind: moderation, variety, and balance. This dieting advice is still accurate today. This source would be useful because it shows that even years ago, diet pills failed. The only healthy way to lose weight proves, again, to be merely healthy eating and exercise.

Government Agencies

FDA: U.S Food and Drug Administration. 2008. U.S Department of Health and Human Services. 8 June 2008. http://www.fda.gov/.

The Food and Drug Administration is overwhelmed with information regarding dietary supplements. Their mission is to protect the public's health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, and such products.  The FDA provides warnings to consumers concerning potentially dangerous ingredients that are found in diet pills.  The website also offers an e-mail updates so consumers can be informed immediately. This agency would be extremely helpful to a journalist because it has a list of every drug and diet pill that has been recalled and their risks. 

National Institute of Mental Health. 2008. USA Government. 1 June 2008.  http://www.nimh.nih.gov.

The National Institute of Mental Health's mission is to reduce the burden of mental illness and behavioral disorders through research on the mind, brain, and behavior. They support the use of innovative science to fight for cures against mental disorders. This website includes a section on eating disorders. Recently, fad diets are starting to be connected to eating disorders because of their health risks. This government agency would be useful in research because it includes scientific data and information on different types of eating disorders and their symptoms. 

Recent Books

Brandanini, Marchelle and Marisa and Flipse, Robyn. 2002. Fighting the Freshmen Fifteen: A College Woman’s Guide to Getting Real about Food and Keeping the Pounds Off. New York, NY: Three Rivers Press

This book is intended for women who have just started college. Flipse, nutrition and diet expert, and the Bradaninis, college dieters, offer helpful advice for students.  They explain college’s newfound freedoms as the cause of the “freshmen fifteen.” The book includes tips on what to eat in the dining halls, managing portions and calorie intakes, understanding liquid portions, dangers in dieting, and recipes that can be prepared in a dorm room. This book is easy to understand and provides helpful suggestions for women in college on how to eat healthy while still enjoying campus life.

Oz, Daphne and Mehmet. 2006. The Dorm Room Diet: The 8-Step Program for Creating a Healthy Lifestyle Plan That Really Work. New York, NY: New Market Press.

Daphne Oz, a sophomore at Princeton University, constantly struggled with her weight and couldn't stick with a fad diet. With the help of her father and grandfather, both cardiac surgeons, and her grandmother, a homeopathic practitioner, she designed an eating and exercise plan that proved to help her lose weight. This winning plan has proven inspirational and successful for women in college. Written from a student perspective, Oz outlines habits to living healthily and making good, logical choices. This would be helpful to a researcher because it is easy to understand and can be used as an example for simple steps that can be taken to avoid and lose freshmen weight gain. 

Kirby, Jane. 2003. Dieting for Dummies. New York, NY: For Dummies Publishing. 

Kirby, a registered dietitian, along with the American Dietetic Association, provides a helpful guide for dieters. It gives advice on eating, as well as, eating disorders, children obesity, and dietary guidelines. This book is reliable and to be used more as a reference guide. It is well-organized and easy to follow. Divided into sections, it is fast to look up information. This book would be helpful for a journalist because it could be used as a reference for the latest information in nutrition, as well, as dieting. 

Blogs

Diet Blog. 2008. 10 June 2008. www.diet-blog.com.

Five diet and nutrition experts maintain this blog with expertise in various fields. American culture is obsessed with the idea of being skinny yet our nutritional advice is sometimes absurd and even unrealistic. Diet Blog focuses on filtering the best news and advice offering their opinions on everything from fast food to the latest diet trend. This website is very interesting and sometimes humorous. Updated almost daily, this blog is a practical resource for finding the latest fad diets and facts about food. In addition, they have links to the latest dieting books published. 

 

Body By Glamour. 2008. 10 June 2008. Glamour. www.glamour.com/bbg/blogs/2007.

This blog is produced by Glamour staff writer, Margarita Bertsos, who is making a new life resolution to get in shape and stay healthy. Each entry she discusses recipes, popular trends such as detox, and even her experience at a diet boot camp. At the age of 27, she can definitely relate to college women struggling with weight. Her blog is a fun read and she even includes links to work out clothing. She is a role model and inspires others through her writings. Her blog includes a side panel with diet news, information, and to other blogs. This resource would be valuable because it provides actual experiences from a woman struggling to make peace with her weight. She tries the diet plans and workouts used by celebrities and notes her opinions. 

Non-Profit Associations

American Society for Nutrition. 2007. Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. 10 June 2008. http://www.nutrition.org/.

The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) strives to bring together the world’s top researchers, clinical nutritionists, and industries to advance the knowledge and application of nutrition. ASN includes over 3,000 members who apply scientific information to nutritional issues. Their website features a monthly newsletters, nutrition notes, and access to scholarly journals. Although, they do not specifically focus on fad dieting, they do offer a lot of valuable information. A journalist researching fad dieting should contact this organization because they are likely to have the most up-to-date scientific information on the topic.

Kid’s Health. 2008. The Nemour’s Foundation Center. 10 June 2008. www.kidshealth.org.

KidsHealth, produced by The Nemours Foundation, is one of the largest and most-visited health information sites on the Web. They offer thousands of articles and resources developed by medical experts. The website offers three separate sections: kids, adolescents, and parent. Each section is designed specifically for their intended audience. They provide an abundance of information on topics such as healthy weight and nutrition basics. It is broken down into sections on what is most important to certain age groups. This resource would be useful for basic information. Although not focusing much on college students, it does provide some relatively valuable dieting information. 

Experts

Dulan, Mitzi, Registered Dietitian, Kansas City, MO, (913) 269-1889

Dulan is a professional speaker, Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, certified personal trainer, and a specialist in nutritional counseling. She has conducted over 175 interviews  and has appeared on multiple cable television stations including CBS, ABC, FOX, and NBC. Dulan expertise resides in sports nutrition, however, she is educated and could provide knowledgeable insight into the field. Since she is renowned, it may be hard to contact her, however, her e-mail is listed. 

Grieger, Lynn, Registered Nutritionist and Dietitian, Manchester Center, VT, 05255, (802) 362-2810

Grieger is a not only a registered dietitian but a certified diabetes educator. She has coauthored 6 Weeks to Losing it for Good and has been published numerous nutrition articles. Currently, she is a nutrition consultant for Bennington College and the Vermont Department of Health. Griegar has written several articles on the "dorm diet" and healthy options for what can be eaten at eat meal. Working in a college environment, she would be a good resource to provide advice directly related to students. 

Hazen, Crystal, Professor and Dietitian, Grover Center, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, (740) 593-0935

Hazen, a licensed and registered dietitian, conducted research in Athens County concerning women with food in insecure homes. Currently working at Ohio University, she promotes healthy eating and advice for living a healthful lifestyle. Hazen is extremely knowledgeable in nutrition and dieting. She is willing to explain anything and answer any questions. In addition, her office is based on campus and she would be easy to get a hold of. 

 

Larson, Joanne, Dietitian, 205 7^th St E, Ashland, WI, 54806, (715) 685-0024

Larson, a registered and licensed dietitian, has extensive clinical experience in nutrition counseling in hospitals, clinics, and mental health. She is a member of the American Dietetic Association and the Society of Nutrition Education. As an editor for the American Dietetic Association’s new online diet manual, she has developed a research based nutrition practices manual with patient education materials, which is used, by thousands of dietitians today. Her “Ask the Dietitian” website has won many award and Larson is often interviewed as a nutrition expert for television, radio, newspaper, and magazine articles.

Reeves, Rebecca, President, American Dietetic Association, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL, 60606, (800) 877-1600

Dr. Reeves has conducted clinical trials in nutrition and behavioral medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine. In addition, she has served as the Speaker of the House of Delegates of the American Dietetic Association and was awarded the one of the highest awards bestowed on a member, the Medallion Award, in 2001. Currently, Reeves is serving as the President of the American Dietetic Association. She would serve as an extremely knowledgeable expert and offer the most relevant information available in the field. 

Specialized Print Reference Books

Bijlefeld, Marjolijn and Zoumbaris, Sharon. 2003. Encyclopedia of Diet Fads. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press

This book offers a broad variety of information not only covering fad diets but general nutrition and health. The authors describe the health fads of the past and present while examining the benefits and consequences. They place emphasis on weight loss programs that are targeted toward the younger generation, who are currently experiencing high rates of obesity. This information would be most useful to a reporter when gathering background knowledge on fad dieting and the health risks involved. It is a detailed and a very easy to use resource. 

ICON Health Publications. Fad Diets: A Medical Dictionary, Bibliography, and Annotated Research Guide to Internet References. San Diego, CA:  ICON Health Publications. 2004. 

With the Web offering more and more health-related information everyday, many sites could potentially be inaccurate or misleading. This publication is a 3-in-1 reference book. It covers medical terminology and provides accurate resources related to fad dieting. ICON publications strives to avoid wasted time searching on the Web. This book provides access to a variety of electronic resources. Although intended for medical students and researchers, this book would be extremely useful for a journalist wishing to access the most relevant and realialbe information on the issue. 

Trade Magazines & Scholarly Articles

Crowe, Tim. “Nutrition Messages Given by Fad Diets Can Alter People’s Food Perceptions”. Nutridate. May 2008.

This article discusses a clinical trial evaluating four fad diets: the Atkins’ diet, Weight Watchers, the Zone diet and the Ornish diet. The trial discovered that these diets, overall, resulted in minimal weight loss, which was difficult to sustain. Crowe, a senior lecturer at Deakin University, explained that fad diets are misunderstood and the public is given the wrong idea. As a result, people do not know which foods to consume and which to avoid. The article is easy to read and information is clearly organized under subtitles. In addition, Crowe provides graphs to support his data. This would be a strong resource for a journalist to use because it discusses a revealing clinical trial. 

 

Daniels, June. “Fad Diets: Slim on Good Nutrition”. Nursing. Dec. 2004.

This article outlines fad dieting from a medical prospective. Intended for doctors, it details the most popular diets while describing the drawbacks in direct connection to the body. There are sidebars that give advice for overweight patients, how to spot a fad diet, and important web sites. In addition, there are tips on how doctors can help patients who have fallen for weight loss schemes. This resource would be useful because it offers a different viewpoint than most other articles written on the subject. It gives a clear outlook on how this “medical condition” would be treated. 

 

MedInfo- Medical Information & Health Directory. (2008) Popular Fad Diets- Why Thy Can Make You Sick. Retrieved April 16, 2008, from http://www.medinfo2004.org/popular- fad-diets-why-they-can-make-you-sick-1140.

This website is an online health directory that lists information by subject and recent articles in the news. It offers multiple links and sources on fad diets and studies that have been conducted. This article provides factual information on the causes and results of what happens after someone has tried fad diets. It outlines a study done on college students, recognizing that when a student ends a fad diet they often consume a significantly greater amount of calories causing a weight gain.  There is also a list of serious health risks involved in fad diets. This source would be helpful because it directly relates to college students and provides a case study, which would have a huge impact if referenced to in a story. 

Multimedia Resources

"Weight Watchers." Advertisement. 10 June 2008. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWoLLUnU-go.

This is a Weight Watchers commercial promoting healthy living. It highlights the craziest and most absurd diets throughout history and emphasizes that dieting can be done healthily. Although it is relatively brief and does not offer a lot of detailed information, it can be used to provide a brief overview of when certain scheme diets were popular. The commercial is very entertaining and presented in a creative manner.  

 

Is the Newest Diet Fad Safe? 2007. MSN. 10 June 2008 http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-US&brand=&vid=acefcb79-3419-4257-8ad8-de190adf3ce0.

This video begins with NBC’s Janet Shamlian reporting on the newest diet phenomenon, “The Brazilian Pill.” Then Katie Couric, a “Today” host, interviews two women on their experience with the pill and one doctor’s reaction. Advertised as being “all natural”, it was discovered that these pills were laced with prescription drugs. Two dieters ended up in critical care after a severe blood sugar imbalance. Unconcerned with the ingredients, this video shows the extent to which women will go in order to be thin. This resource would be helpful when giving an example of an extremely unhealthy fad diet. The public thought plant ingredients, from Brazilian rainforests, were being used in these pills, however, that was not the case.

VideoJug: Dieting To Lose The Freshman 15

Dieting to Lose the Freshmen 15. VideoJug. 10 June 2008. http://www.videojug.com/interview/dieting-to-lose-the-freshman-15-2

This is a video of Dr. Hawley Almstedt, a professor at Loyola Marymount University. She has a PhD is exercise physiology and studies diet and exercise, eating disorders, and body image among college students. In this video she answers various questions that would be helpful for college students. Almstedt offer useful information and also covers topics such as diet pills, calorie consumption, and herbal products.

International Sites

Dietitians Association of Australia. 2008. Dietitians Association of Australia. 10 June 2008. http://www.daa.asn.au/index.asp.

The Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) is the largest professional nutrition organization in Australia. Their mission is to support dietitians and promote better food, health, and living. DAA prides themselves on having connections with other national and international organizations, putting them on "cutting edge" of nutrition. Although mainly intended for dietary professionals, they offer advice on smarter eating. In addition, there are eating assessments, nutrition quizzes, and recipes. There are also over seventeen links related to fad dieting. This website would be helpful for internationally comparing and contrasting dietitian requirements and getting an Australian viewpoint of dieting methods.

Food Standards Agency. 2008. Food Standards Agency. 10 June 2008. http://www.food.gov.uk.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is an Independent Government department that was established by an Act of Parliament in 2000 to protect the public's health and interests concerning food. Although FSA is a government agency, it is considered independent because it doe not report to a specific minister and is free to publish any advice. They have developed administrations in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The FSA provides information on a vast number of issues including nutrition, safety and hygiene, and food myths. This resource would be helpful for a journalist researching international eating habits and dieting. Their website is easy to navigate and even includes a section for students. They offer a European perspective on these issues, which, surprisingly, is very different than an Americans.