Diet Scams That Shed Dollars, Not Pounds

Nearly half of American adults are desperate to lose weight which has created a subversive, billion dollar industry that lures vulnerable people with a variety of fraudulent weight-loss schemes. Diet scams rank number one among health-care frauds, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), with marketers deploying a myriad of deceptive and expensive sales tactics. Choosing a diet regimen, folks should avoid miracle product claims and stick with tried and true programs like exercise and the “keto diet” that has many years of proven results.

Warning Signs In The Diet Dollar Derby

In a recent study, adult obesity affected about 93.3 million adults in the U.S. according to The Centers for Disease Control. Those figures fuel a nearly $70 billion weight-loss industry featuring dubious and often dangerous products that will only reduce your bank account. The main culprits are expensive supplements advertised ad nauseum to “safely and effectively” shed pounds quickly.

Weight-loss pills contain many all-natural ingredients with little to no scientific evidence that they work and can cost as much at $80 for a one-month supply. Don’t trust marketing claims that a product helps weight loss without exercise or uses hyperbolic terms such as “miracle” or “revolutionary”. Also, beware any product that touts a “free trial,” which is code for enrollment in an expensive monthly subscription plan that can be difficult to stop.

Berry Dubious Diet Results

Exotic fruits in pill form have been heavily advertised online in recent years touting amazing weight-loss effects. Garcinia Cambogia is a South Asian citrus fruit that advocates claim reduces fat. These claims have never been proven in legitimate testing although it has been shown to make users nauseous and experience diarrhea. Acai Berry pills weave another trendy weight-loss story with claims of improved metabolism and reduced appetite which have been disproven in a recent lab test on rats conducted by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.

Non-Pill Weight Loss Frauds

Ingestible supplements are by far the most popular dietary product in today’s crowded market. However, many clever marketers have tried to foster “new and improved” diet delivery systems that simply don’t work such as patches, creams and gadgets like the electronic muscle stimulator (EMS). The EMS falsely purports to electronically “zap” fat when strapped to the tummy. According to the FTC, “Nothing you wear or apply to the skin can cause substantial weight loss.”

How To Protect Against Diet Scams

Dieting trends come and go, but legitimate programs like low-carb plans have withstood the test of time and offer results that can last. If you still want to test an off-the-shelf product do diligent research and ask your doctor about a product’s efficacy. Also browse the manufacturer’s website for false claims and use their contact info to ask specific questions. If you don’t get a response, walk away.

As in most aspects of life, there are rarely proven shortcuts to weight loss. When it comes to dieting, there are many scam artists who falsely promise quick and lasting results at an unreasonably high price. However, nothing is better for your body and wallet than a simple, reduced-calorie, healthy diet and regular exercise to lose weight and keep it off for good.