Vicki, fad and other diets (WAS: Request for helpful info)

[Guest guest]

> , be careful ...there are

> many on this list who do not consider

> some or any of the above to be

> a " fad diet " .

Hi, Vicki. I don't use the term " fad diet " in pejorative way, I

thought that was the correct expression. As I use it, it means a

special diet with enthusiastic followers. Nobody I know gets excited

about eating the way the ADA suggests diabetics should.

> Eating a lowcarb or moderate carb diet

> is not considered " fad " and is even

> now endorsed (in a fashion) by the ADA.

What is the general term that you use to cover all the different

diets that deviate from the " mainstream " diet recommended by

the " medical establishment " ? I tried to word my posting so as not to

arouse emotions but it is like walking on thin ice!

As you say, the ADA has changed its approach considerably. Their

latest " Nutritional Recommendations " (January 2002) include the

phrase: " ... the best available evidence must still take into account

individual circumstances, preferences, and cultural and ethnic

preferences, and the person with diabetes should be involved in the

decision-making process. "

But according to a Reuters report on December 27th, 2001 which I was

indirectly quoting*: " The ADA also points out the lack of evidence

supporting the safety and efficacy of current fad diets, such as The

Zone, Atkins, Fit for Life and Sugar Busters. These low carbohydrate

diets promote short-term weight loss and improved glycemia, but the

long-term efficacy has not been established. In addition, concern has

been raised regarding the long-term effects of these diets on kidney

and cardiovascular disease risk. "

The big change in the new ADA nutritional recommendations (51 pages!)

is the classification of evidence into A, B, C and E grades. A is

when there is supportive evidence from multiple, well-conducted

studies, B is an intermediate rating, C is a lower rating and E is

based on expert consensus. I was staggered to see how few A's there

are!

To sum it up, Vicki, I am definitely not knocking " fad diets " . The

way I am eating at the moment is not even a " fad diet " but a result

of my own experimentation! I read somewhere about a " second-meal

effect " and I noticed that my lunch-time 1-hr BG is influenced by

what I have for breakfast. So I have been trying an almost

carbohydrate-less breakfast, moderate CHO lunch and the balance in

the evening. No firm results yet except that at all meals my BG

returns to baseline as fast as it goes up - no sign of insulin

resistance left, just the occasional 200s at 1 hr.

But I have used up 25 test strips in two days so at least you can see

that the " unproven therapy " (St. 's Wort) has got me active

again! (Not so active that I would go all the way to Malaysia on

trust, though!) Now all I have to do is lose the 20 lbs that I put on

again over the last 6 depressive months!

(* at the bottom of

http://diabetes.medscape.com/reuters/prof/2001/12/12.28/20011227plcy00

1.html The ADA does not use the word " fad " in the recommendations -

that might have come from Reuters.)

[Guest guest]

Hi, ...thanks for your response. Checking my Webster's, I see their

relevant reference to fad says only " a temporary fashion or manner of

conduct especially one followed enthusiastically by a group, " which is just

what you said. However, I think here in the US at least, it has an implied

pejorative connotation, which is what I was referring to. Semantics can be

very tricky, smile.

Regarding your question about a term that would cover all the different diets

other than mainstream...actually words fail me (smile)...I can't think of

one. How about " non-mainstream " ? Vicki

<<

Hi, Vicki. I don't use the term " fad diet " in pejorative way, I

thought that was the correct expression. As I use it, it means a

special diet with enthusiastic followers. Nobody I know gets excited

about eating the way the ADA suggests diabetics should.

> Eating a lowcarb or moderate carb diet

> is not considered " fad " and is even

> now endorsed (in a fashion) by the ADA.

What is the general term that you use to cover all the different

diets that deviate from the " mainstream " diet recommended by

the " medical establishment " ? I tried to word my posting so as not to

arouse emotions but it is like walking on thin ice!

>>