Food Allergy, Intolerance
Diets
Food allergy and intolerance diets are
high fashion. They claim that weight gain can be caused by a person's
intolerance towards certain foods. By avoiding these foods, weight loss
becomes easier.
The Intolerance Test and Diet Plan
At a cost of anything up to $300, the dieter is given a blood-test to
determine their "intolerances." In my experience, the test usually
uncovers a series of such intolerances - typically to whole food-groups.
Once this intolerance test is completed, the dieter is given two food-lists
- a list of banned foods and a list of permissible foods. The banned items
typically includes a wide variety of common foods, including bread and
most dairy products.
Diet Plan Unsupported by Evidence
To the best of my knowledge, there does not appear to any reliable medical
evidence linking food intolerance to weight gain. To date, the only reliable
method of food-intolerance testing is the "elimination" diet,
which is best carried out under medical supervision.
Any weight loss caused by these Food Allergy
or Intolerance diets is almost certainly due to the restrictive dietary
regimen rather than the alleviation of the relevant allergy or intolerance.
Verdict
Until these Food Allergy/intolerance diets are supported by medical evidence,
they are best avoided.
A Note about Healthy Weight Control
Fad diets, unbalanced diets, diet pills, diet supplements, weight loss
surgery and other short term weight loss methods are not recommended for
permanent weight control. The best way to lose excess fat and maintain
a healthy weight in the long term is to follow a balanced calorie-controlled
diet (that improves your eating habits) and take regular aerobic exercise.
An excellent option is Anne Collins
Weight Loss Program
| 