The Dangers of Restrictive Dieting

By Meghan Kliewer

Diets typically help people lose weight, but sometimes the costs outweigh the expected benefits.

The popularity of trendy restrictive diets, like juice cleanses or the recent paleo diet, raise questions about adverse effects. These diets limit a person’s intake of calories, carbs, gluten, or other nutrients, which can often contribute to health problems like diabetes, malnutrition, eating disorders and other psychological problems.

“Fad diets are just that — a fad. The diet is temporary and so is the weight loss. In order to achieve a healthy weight, students need to make manageable, lifelong lifestyle changes,” said Christina Duong, SAC health educator.

Starting and stopping diets, known as “yo-yo dieting,” increases the chanceof gaining weight long-term, and can damage self-esteem and induce depression, according to the website Eating Disorders Victoria.

“Through nutrition education at the Health Center, I try to help students distinguish between healthy eating habits versus choosing a ‘diet’ that limits their nutritional intake for the sake of losing a few pounds quickly,” Duong said.

Students can schedule short nutrition classes in the Health Center.