For years, people have been kicking off the New Year with promises to themselves to lose weight and to ‘detox’ after indulging during the festive season.
However, recent warnings coming from the NHS’s top doctor have shined a light on how dangerous certain diets can be.
While the new year can be a good time to make healthy lifestyle changes, some diets, often those endorsed by celebrities through social media, can cause damage to your heart and even cause unwanted pregnancy.
For example, weight loss products often contain laxatives, which stops the contraceptive pill from being effective.
See Also: The Pros & Cons of Detox Diets
NHS medical doctor, Stephen Powis warns that products advertised as a ‘quick fix’ to losing weight are not a quick fix at all, such as diet pills, ‘tea-toxes’ and appetite suppressing products, can be incredibly bad for your health.
Quick fix diet products can cause side effects such as diarrhoea and heart issues.
“New Year resolutions are a great time to make a change, but the reality is there’s a slim chance of success with diet pills and detox teas – and people could end up doing more harm than good,” said Powis. “Making New Year goals and shifting a few excess pounds after Christmas can be a good idea, but are much easier to maintain when done gradually and safely.”
There is also little research to show that ‘de-tox’ diets actually work. Health professionals have stated that the body is capable of cleansing the system of toxins without cutting out certain food groups or doing a ‘tea-tox’.
The British Dietetic Association (BDA) has given advice to help people spot a fad diet.
See Also: Guide to Weight Loss
For example, diets that promote a ‘magic ingredient’ or promise rapid weight loss of more than 2lbs a week are probably a fad.
Diets that promote cutting out entire food groups or only eating one type of food is also a sure way of spotting a fad diet.
The BDA have also warned against falling for celebrity endorsed products, stating that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
See Also: Weight Loss Choices
For example, in 2018, Kim Kardashian shared an Instagram post promoting appetite suppressing lollipops to help prevent hunger pangs. While she was widely critised for this, her large following of young girls were no doubt affected and influenced buy the promotion of this quick fix weight-loss product.
Public figures such as actress and activist Jameela Jamil however, take a stand against fad diets and quick-fix products. The celebrity posted a video to twitter on New Year’s Day, warning people of the dangers of quick fix diet products and advising people not to feel pressured about their weight just because it is New Year.
