Weight Loss Fraud: Buyer beware

Most importantly you should know that more and more products are being found to contain illegal and/or unsafe ingredients that are not disclosed on the label.

It's understandable that people continue to hope that a "magic potion" for easy weight loss might come in a bottle. After all, scores of products are on store shelves that are promoted and marketed as just that. Despite all these products, however, there just isn't any magic in a bottle.

The reality is that the manufactures of these products are simply out to make a buck off your gullibility.

Consumers need to understand that none of these products have to prove that they are effective before (or after) they go on the market!

Because these types of products are highly profitable manufactures can make significant profits even when the "life" of a product is short-lived.

"So what?,"  if the company is eventually fined by the FTC for false advertising--that's just a cost of doing business. And, "so what?," if the FDA discovers that a product is laced with illegal drugs, and orders the product pulled from the market; again it's just the cost of doing business.

Heck, for that matter, it's easy to re-lable the product and market it under an entirely new corporate entity. The money will be raked in until the under-funded FDA eventually analyzes the product, leading to it being pulled from the market again. The greed-driven-sociopaths who own and run these companies are, no doubt, laughing all the way to the bank!

Since 2011 I've been posting links to my Diet Industry Watch page on this website. It's not a comprehensive list, just what I run across. This year it seemed to me that the incidence of FDA finding weight loss supplements laced with illegal drugs was becoming more and more common. Apparently the FDA thinks so too:

"FDA has identified an emerging trend where over-the-counter products, frequently represented as dietary supplements, contain hidden active ingredients that could be harmful. Consumers may unknowingly take products laced with varying quantities of approved prescription drug ingredients, controlled substances, and untested and unstudied pharmaceutically active ingredients. These deceptive products can harm you! Hidden ingredients are increasingly becoming a problem in products promoted for weight loss."

The FDA further advises the public:

"Remember, FDA cannot test all products on the market that contain potentially harmful hidden ingredients. Enforcement actions and consumer advisories for tainted products only cover a small fraction of the tainted over-the-counter products on the market."

Hopefully at this point you're having second thoughts about the "magic potion" idea!

Of course "weight loss fraud" isn't limited to supplements. Some of it occurs in doctor's offices (as with HCG, thyroid medications, or injections of substances claimed to melt fat, etc.). Then there's the exercise-gadget stuff, fad-diets, and on and on.

When we're talking about weight loss, the bottom line is, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! 

Here's 2 quick (3-min) FDA videos that are actually well done!

• Don't be a victim: you could lose much more than weight
• Being Fooled by Empty Diet Promises

The best advice remains, to eat a healthy diet, but not too much.  And make activity part of your day.

If you want more specific advice check out my book, The NEW Healthy Eating & Weight Management Guide [on AMAZON, or FREE shipping by ordering direct].

All the best in the new year!
-Dorene