KARACHI, Aug 15: Nutritionists have warned people,particularly women and adolescents, from being trapped into “crash weight loss plans” and “fad diet concepts” exposing them to serious health consequences.

The speakers, comprising senior nutritionists, at a seminar “Fad Diets: Facts and Myths” held here on Thursday under the aegis of the Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) at its Vicky Zeitlin Library advised people to opt for healthy eating habits and balanced diet, complimented with adequate physical activity.

They said that the growing tendency of forced starvation by local women with the view to control weight was leading to malnourishment among them, resulting in births of low weight babies at a high risk of wide a range of diseases.

The tendency among youth and adolescents was termed equally dangerous as “micro nutrients are symptomatic within 15 days many macro nutrients may be symptomatic for years’ time.

Dr Nasir Hyder, chief clinical nutritionist Aga Khan University Hospital, in his presentation regretted the lack of proper information about nutrients. He said misconceptions often denied the human body of its adequate requirements consequently taking a heavy toll on health.

“Fats, carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins are required in set proportions by any individual under all conditions in accordance with his or her age, hence none of these nutrients should be discarded absolutely from one’s diet as is often done”, he said.

Reminding that carbohydrates are fuel for brain and fats for hormones, the nutritionist said the effects of forced denial of fats, carbohydrates, even in necessary quantities, led to seriously negative effects on kidneys, besides a wide range of allergies including skin allergies and faltering growth of the bone-mass.

“Local women, above 45, are frequent victims of hip-bone fractures as they avoid milk, even in their youth, to control their weight and hence deny themselves of a rich source of calcium”, said Dr Nasir.

Asking people not to be fooled into fad diets, he suggested that they improve eating habits and opt for adequately balanced diets followed by modifications in their life styles, including a compulsory 30-minute walk and relevant physical activity.

He said the taste buds of human beings were extremely flexible and necessary restraint could help avoid excessive use of salt or sugar intake, significant sources of weight gain.

Regarding special vitamin supplements meant for those on diet, he said that without the necessary enzymes found in natural sources of vitamins they could lead to negative effects.

He said the absence of a drug and food regulatory authority had made it easy for the First World companies to dump their products at local markets, without any hindrance.

Dr Nasir also expressed serious reservations about slimming clinics which, he said, were fooling people destroying their health.

Dr Fatima Nizami, nutritionist and dietician from the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, speaking on the occasion, underscored the need for a balanced diet and advised people to inculcate proper eating habits among their children

Dr Imdad Khushk, medical editor Journal of the CPSP and senior journalist Fazal Qureishi were also among the speakers.—APP