Content provided in partnership with

Misleading weight-loss product promotion widespread - Brief Article

The use of false claims, misleading testimonials, and deceptive before-and-after photographs in advertising for weight-loss products is widespread and has increased during the past decade, according to a Sept 17, 2002, news release from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Approximately 40% of advertisements studied, including those appearing in mainstream, national publications, made at least one claim that is almost certainly false, and 55% made at least one claim that is very likely false. Nearly 50% of the advertisements claim that product users can lose weight without dieting or exercising.

Most Popular Articles in Health: Fuel your workout: exercisers who eat before they work out have more energy ...; Soothe a dry, itchy scalp: 5 easy expert solutions; Cocktails and calories: Beer, wine and liquor calories can really add up. ...; The sour truth about apple cider vinegar - evaluation of therapeutic use; The, six best supplements you've never heard of: these secret weapons can ...; More »

The FTC report was prepared with assistance from the Partnership for Healthy Weight Management, a coalition of representatives from the science, academic, and health care professions, as well as government and commercial entities. The report examines 300 weight-loss product promotions that appeared in all major types of media between February 2001 and May 2001. A comparison of advertisements from 2001 to those that ran in 1992 showed two major trends:

* a shift from advertisements for "low-calorie meal replacements" to pills and other products that claim to work without diet and exercise and

* an increase in the number of specific misleading promises about product performance.

According to health and nutrition experts, many heavily advertised weight-loss products and programs either are unproven or unsafe, and they frustrate efforts to promote healthy weight loss by promising unrealistic results. Since 1990, the FTC has filed 93 cases challenging false and misleading weight-loss claims involving over-the-counter medications, dietary supplements, commercial weight-loss centers, weight-loss devices, and exercise equipment.

FTC Releases Report on Weight-Loss Advertising (news release: Washington, DC: Federal Trade Commission, Sept 17, 2002) http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2002/09/weightloss rpt.htm (accessed 26 Sept 2002).

Health Care Industry

Misleading weight-loss product promotion widespread - Brief Article

AORN Journal, Nov, 2002

Find Research Guides for:

Find Featured Titles for: Arts

Most Popular Articles in Health

Most Popular Publications in Health