Diets are big business and they come in many packages like diet programs, books, videos, products (including creams, gadgets, drugs, supplements, drinks, foods, etc.), and there are the health clubs, clinics, centers, and even surgery. In fact, in 2004 the weight-loss market was worth $46.3 billion and according to a recent study done by Marketdata Enterprises, the estimated value of the U.S. diet market in 2008 was $58.6 billion. That's an increase of $12.3 billion in only four years. With all of this money being spent, are Americans leaner or healthier? Do diets work?  Do they offer hope or hype in our quest to get fit?

According to JAMA (The Journal of the American Medical Association) Issue: August 27, 2008, "unhealthy diet and physical inactivity are second only to tobacco as underlying causes of death."

John LaRosa of Marketdata, one of the leading researchers of the diet industry, recently informed me "the number of U.S. dieters is estimated at 72 million. Sixty-six percent of the American population is overweight or obese (both combined — total 151 million adults). The share that's obese (BMI 30+) is 31% (71 million)."

Childhood obesity in the U.S. is growing at an alarming rate, with one out of three kids now considered overweight or obese. Statistics on eating disorders are just as alarming when it is estimated that 5-10% of American teenage girls and women (i.e., 5-10 million) and one million boys and men are struggling with eating disorders including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, or borderline conditions. At least 50,000 individuals will die as a direct result of their eating disorder.

At any given time two-thirds of all American adults are on a diet. Of those, 29 percent are men and 44 percent are women. Yet, only five percent of dieters will keep the weight off. In fact, most will actually regain their lost weight, plus more. With all the money being spent on diets and diet products, Americans aren't losing weight. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, overweight and obesity has reached epidemic levels. One of the main reasons dieters fail at their "get fit" attempts and remain a statistic is because they choose "fad diets" as opposed to a balanced, healthy diet. In fact the weight-loss industry makes its billions because "millions succumb to 'quick-fix' claims, seeking a (non-existent) effortless weight-loss method."

Article Author: Christine Lakatos

I am the author of the fat-loss diet book for women (of all ages), MY DIVA DIET: A Woman's Last Diet Book and Compact Version, with over 29 years of experience in the health and fitness industry. I am the mother of two awesome daughters, a retired …

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