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WELLNESS EDITION Ohio State dietitians assess how fad diets stack the odds against social media users By Lucy Lawler
Managing Editor for Content
DIETS
TOP STORIES
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RU /L] :HLQDQG\ DQ 2KLR State instructor of practice in medical dietetics, experimenting with fad diets is like getting hooked on slot machines in Las Vegas: enticLQJ DQG ÀDVK\ DW ¿UVW EXW XOWLmately draining and destrucWLYH “All of these diets create euphoria to begin with, but they’re just going to cause disappointment in the end,” said Weinandy, also a registered dietician with the Wexner MediFDO &HQWHU ,Q HVVHQFH :HLQDQG\ VDLG D “fad diet” refers to any trendy eating plan that follows a strict
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set of rules and promises immediate health results — especially without VWURQJ VFLHQWL¿F EDFNLQJ 'XH WR WKH immense popularity of short-form content-sharing apps like TikTok and ,QVWDJUDP LQIRUPDWLRQ VXUURXQGLQJ WKHVH ³TXLFN ¿[´ UHJLPHQV FDQ TXLFNO\ “cascade out of control,” she said. ³2YHU WLPH LW IHHOV OLNH WKHUH¶V DOZD\V D GL̆HUHQW IDG GLHW FRPLQJ RXW WKDW KDV GL̆HUHQW UXOHV EXW D ORW RI them tend to be recycled,” Weinandy said. “With social media, they just take ÀLJKW LW¶V OLNH D ELUG ZLWK DLU XQGHU LWV wings, and it just really tends to take R̆ YHU\ TXLFNO\ ´ -RVHSK *ROGPDQ D VHFRQG \HDU graduate student in dietetics and nutrition, said fad diets often promote ³RQH VL]H ¿WV DOO´ VROXWLRQV WKDW DUH RYHUO\ VLPSOLVWLF DQG IDLO WR DFFRXQW IRU more personalized health issues.
,Q WKH µ V DQG µ V DGYHUWLVLQJ IRU fad diets was largely limited to books DQG PDJD]LQHV *ROGPDQ VDLG 2QFH social media gained cultural traction, KRZHYHU IDG GLHWV¶ DELOLW\ WR HFOLSVH SURIHVVLRQDO DGYLFH URVH GUDPDWLFDOO\ ³,Q WKH WLPH WKDW \RX FRXOG KDYH watched a documentary, you could KDYH ZDWFKHG GL̆HUHQW SHRSOH WDON DERXW GL̆HUHQW RSLQLRQV RQ IDG GLHWV ´ *ROGPDQ VDLG ³:KHQ HQRXJK RI WKRVH SHRSOH MRLQ LQWR RQH YRLFH , WKLQN WKDW FDQ LPSDFW SHRSOH D ORW more strongly than we often think that it does.” When it comes to nutritional fads dominating the 2020s — including the FDUQLYRUH GLHW LQWHUPLWWHQW IDVWLQJ DQG PRUH ² :HLQDQG\ DQG *ROGPDQ said dietitians remain committed to
DIETS continues on Pages 4-5
YOGA Local yoga studio RZQHUV UHÀHFW RQ &29,' DQG LWV H̆HFWV ¿YH years after pandemic
MENTAL HEALTH Student leaders address mental health stigma DQG VXSSRUW LQ 2KLR State’s Black community
PILATES 2KLR 6WDWH ¿WQHVV instructors discuss growing demand for Pilates classes
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