New year blitz: slimming frenzy fires rush for diets, programs

By Miranda Wood, Health Reporter

January 11, 2004

The Sun-Herald

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The traditional new year resolution to lose weight has never been more popular, with leading weight-loss companies recording a jump in membership figures compared with last year.

Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers have been swamped with people wanting to shed their excess, despite the market being awash with a range of weight-loss regimes from the protein-rich Atkins diet to the latest fad, the South Beach diet.

Jenny Craig managing director Peter Hickox said: "The start to 2004 has been very positive, with the number of inquiries up from the same time last year.

"It's encouraging to see that, in a time of clutter in the diet arena, people are increasingly turning to tried and tested programs, such as Jenny Craig."

Weight Watchers spokeswoman Lee Kirkland said membership figures were "a little bit up" from last year, with 8000 people a week expected to join throughout this month.

"People have had a big blow out," she said.

Ms Kirkland admitted the weight-loss market was cluttered and to entice people away from other programs, Weight Watchers had introduced a new program and offered free meetings.

"There are probably too many diets," she said.

"Women are too confused about the methods they can choose from."

The new year period is the most prosperous time of year for the weight-loss market, with more than 60 per cent of resolutions focused on dieting and losing weight.

NSW Health nutrition and physical activity manager Liz Develin said people must avoid the post-Christmas crash diets, with research showing those diets achieve little in long-term weight loss.

"Often people, particularly women, turn to crash diets as a drastic measure to lose weight quickly," she said.

"We should remember that weight gain happens gradually and weight loss also needs to be a long-term process.

"Replacing high-fat and high-sugar foods with fruit and vegetables is a good way to control your weight.

"Fruit and vegetables are also beneficial to long-term health, particularly to reduce the risk of chronic disease, such as cancer."

Despite repeated calls from health professionals and nutritionists to eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly, many people have turned to diets normally adopted by celebrities. The CSIRO entered the diet debate last year, introducing the Total Wellbeing Diet, a high-protein and low-fat diet.

Some of the favoured diets around the world include the Atkins diet and the Zone diet from ZonePerfect - both recommend a limited intake of carbohydrates, including bread and cereal.

The popularity of low-carb diets has affected the baking industry. Bakers now want to develop an education campaign with the Federal Government.

Baking Industry Association of NSW president Kieron Gregory said that along with lifestyle changes, the diet industry was also partly responsible for the drop in sales.

"I would say we have been noticing a general downturn in the general white bread area, over the past three to four years," he said. "You need carbohydrates in your diet.

"People can still eat everything, but within reason. You don't need to cut out bread."

A recent Federal Government report into the baking industry showed the resurgence of low-carb diets could impede the growth of the industry, along with people skipping breakfast.