6 Warning Signs of a Fad Diet

You see them all the time. The fad diets that celebrities and social media influencers rave about. The ones they say can help you “lose 10 pounds in a week,” “balance your hormones” or “reset your microbiome.”

They sound too good to be true. And they probably are.

So, how do you know if the diet advice you’re getting is something to take seriously? We asked registered dietitian Devon Peart, RD, MHSc, about how to spot a fad diet and what to do instead.

What’s a fad diet?

Fad diets are eating plans that are often promoted as the “best” or “fastest” approach to losing weight or “hacking” your health.

They often involve eliminating certain foods, banning entire food groups or overselling the benefits of a particular food or nutrient.

The thing is, fad diets are often based on limited or faulty research — when they’re based on any evidence at all.

“Oftentimes, fad diets are based on some bit of information learned in research,” Peart says. “But they twist it to the point that it’s no longer scientifically sound.”

For example: Yes, fruit is healthy for you. No one will argue that. But does that mean it’s healthy to go full-on fruitarian and fill up entirely on strawberries and citrus? No.

Signs of a fad diet

How do you know if that advice taking over your feed is a fad diet or healthy advice that you may want to listen to? Peart says to look for these six clues:

1. They promise big or fast results. Be cautious of any health advice that claims quick-and-easy success. The truth is that improving your health is a process that takes time and dedication. “What you do in order to lose weight is something you should be prepared to do to maintain the weight loss,” Peart states. “So choose habits you can live with.”
2. They put certain foods or nutrients on a pedestal. Fad diets often promote individual foods as the solution to wellness. Or they bestow hero status on certain nutrients, like protein, probiotics or certain vitamins.
3. They “ban” foods. Sure, healthy eating plans often encourage limiting some things, like red meat or sodium. But fad diets go more extreme. “Generally speaking, be wary of health advice that encourages complete avoidance of entire food groups or that villainizes certain foods,” Peart advises. “There is no single food that you must have in order to lose weight, and there is no single food that you cannot have.”
4. They don’t have strong scientific support. Fad diets often twist scientific evidence. They may offer simplified conclusions from a complex study or draw recommendations based on minimal or low-quality research.
5. They rely heavily on testimonials. Diet recommendations touted by social media influencers or celebrities aren’t always bad. But be careful about relying on ads or your social feed to be a source of truth. “One person’s success isn’t the same as scientifically valid advice,” Peart emphasizes. “And just because something worked for your friend, doesn’t mean it will work for you. Everybody is unique.”
6. They’re trying to sell you something. Health advice that comes with a pitch to buy a book, purchase specific supplements or join a fee-based “community” should give you pause.

Still not sure? Ask a healthcare provider about the diet you’re considering.

“There’s a lot of advice out there, and it can be really hard to sift through it on your own,” Peart acknowledges. “Talk with an expert you trust, like a primary care provider or a registered dietitian who understands your medical conditions and goals.”

What makes fad diets unhealthy for you?

Standard, healthy diets are built around eating a range of foods for a reason: A balanced diet that includes a variety of foods helps fuel your body and ward off chronic disease.

Fad diets, on the other hand, can come with some real drawbacks for your well-being. Potential risks include:

• Lost nutrients: Fad diets typically don’t take into account the full range of nutrients your body needs, like fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. “Fad diets often promote eliminating foods that contain nutrients that are essential to maintain good health,” Peart reiterates.
• Overdoing it: Overemphasizing specific foods can also be problematic. When fad diets suggest a new “it” food, they often encourage eating it in amounts well above what’s recommended.
• Unsustainable lifestyle: Sudden or major changes to your diet are hard to maintain. When you make sweeping changes to what or how you eat, you’re unlikely to keep them up long term. “When you stop the diet, you usually lose any benefit you may have gained,” Peart notes. “For example, fad diets that emphasize weight loss may help you shed a few pounds for a little while. But the lost weight is usually regained quickly.”
• Singular emphasis: When you follow a fad diet, you may experience a false sense of security: I’m being so healthy! But not only is your diet likely lacking, but it also isn’t encouraging other healthy habits. “Fad diets usually don’t emphasize other lifestyle modifications, like exercise, sleep or stress reduction, all of which are important parts of living a healthy life,” Peart says.

What to do instead

Rather than jumping into the latest trend, Peart recommends sticking with tried-and-true (and evidence-based) weight loss and healthy living advice. Namely:

• Eat a variety of unprocessed or minimally processed foods, including whole grains, lean proteins and plenty of fruits and vegetables.
• Stick to moderate portion sizes. Having smaller meals and snacks more often is a better strategy than restricting food and then over-indulging in a big meal.
• Exercise regularly.
• Keep your stress levels manageable. Work stress management into your daily routine, like taking a break from work to walk outside, calling a friend, or doing yoga or breathing exercises.
• Get plenty of sleep.
• Drink enough water.

If you’re unsure whether the diet and eating advice you’re getting is healthy, talk with a healthcare provider, like a primary care doctor or a registered dietitian. They can help you follow healthy habits, manage your health concerns and meet your goals.