The Early Show [CBS] recently featured the American Heart Association's No Fad Diet, a newly released book praised for promoting a healthy lifestyle to gradually and permanently lose weight. On their website, the article, Why 'No-Fad Diet' Really Works, promotes the book as the diet is for all those who are tired of trying to lose weight and failing.
Dr. Robert Eckel, the president of the American Heart Association [AHA] says, "We now have the science to say if you lose weight quickly, you really have to adapt a lifestyle to keep it off long term. Fad diets work, but not long term better than any other diet."
What caught my attention was the sentence, [t]he American Heart Association has stood by its dietary guidelines for four decades and the book is just a reflection of its desire to educate people about the heart-healthy way to eat and live and maintain a healthy weight, Dr. Eckle explains.
There are virtually no details provided about the diet online, so one is left with taking it on faith that the plan is really "heart healthy" and spending $24.95 to learn more by purchasing the book. I'm not one to take things on faith when it comes to nutrition, so I had to see for myself just what they're recommending and what falls within the definition of "heart healthy." A quick trip to Border Books and I had my very own copy of the book.
The back cover assures a reader that "The weight-loss strategies in this book are based on reliable scientific research and are backed by respected medical professionals. The American Heart Association has the information you can trust."
The implication is clear - the AHA is trustworthy, their professionals are the ones who are "respected" and they're able to wade through the mounds of research data and cull out only that which is "reliable." Got it?
My first stop within the pages are the sample menus. Why start anywhere else - the menus tell the story best about what they're recommending since they provide a very clear picture of what they're encouraging you to eat day after day.
Article comments
1 - David
Don't get me started on that "Heart-Check" logo scam either. The AHA will sell it to who ever comes up with the big bucks, regardless of healtfulness of the product. Since when is sugary candy breakfast cereal like TRIX and Lucky Charms "heart-healthy." The AHA has ZERO credibility. Great review!
2 - Maggie
Why would they recommend foods that have trans-fats? That doesn't make any sense and is definitely not heart-healthy! Thank you for pointing out that the foods they recommend have trans-fats that we need to avoid.
3 - Susan
Holy Cow! Are they trying to kill us?
4 - Aaman
Great, insightful review - stay away folks from this pile of crap - the book, I mean
5 - Tammy
An eye-opening review. I never would have guessed that the book had these kinds of foods in the menus. For a long time I've tried to avoid trans-fats, but they are everywhere. You really need to read labels and be careful about what you buy. And you're right, when you look at the press on this book, it's all good - why isn't anyone taking the time like you did to read it and actually review the recommendations? Thank you for taking the time you obviously did to read this book.
6 - Michelle
Great review, I love reading your stuff, always helpful!
7 - alpha
Not surprising. I followed an AHA diet for a time after a massive MI and CHF. I was, as I still am, religious in my diet and life changes. It was an easy diet to follow. Too easy. I saw my cholesterol & triglycerides shoot up. I read Dr. Dean Ornish's book (and a dozen others) and based my diet on his very severe program and have survived 11 years of CHF, CAD and ventricular arrhythmias.
So, all that anecdote boils down to: You are quite right.
8 - Bob A. Booey
I'm on the "Take on Me" diet.
Rimjob please! Or is that rimshot?
I'll be here all week.
That is all.
9 - Stan
Why am I not surprised? No wonder everyone is fat and sick.
10 - Anonymous
If you can't trust the AHA, who can you trust? What do you mean by the last sentence in your review? Is there something wrong with the foods that have that heart check on them?
11 - Janet
Thank you for the very informative, intelligent and educational post!
Janet
12 - Bob A. Booey
You're welcome, Janet! You were talking about me, right? It's all about ME :)
That is all.
13 - Tony
Yet another diet book I won't need to be reading. People need to wake up to the fact that too much of our "food" is processed in ways that turns something good and wholesome into nothing more than sludge in our bodies. Insightful review that highlights that even our respected medical experts ignore the obvious.