Take the Diet Quiz
Weight management is a growing concern in this country. More than 2 in 3 adult Americans are overweight or obese. At any given time, millions of people are trying to lose weight. Each year, billions of dollars are spent on weight-loss products and services, from diet books to shoe inserts. Learn more about diets and weight loss by taking this quiz.
1. How much weight loss is a safe and reasonable goal?
You didn't answer
this question.
You answered
The correct
answer is
It's hard to lose more
than 1 pound a week without cutting back on calories or increasing exercise. Losing
a
half pound to 2 pounds a week and keeping the weight off is best done by eating healthy
foods in moderate amounts and exercising most days of the week. Talk with your
healthcare provider about weight loss. Ask for information on how to choose a safe
weight-loss program.
2. Which of these claims should be a red flag about the safety
or effectiveness of a weight-loss product?
You didn't answer
this question.
You answered
The correct
answer is
No product can bring
about permanent weight loss. Most diets end in failure because people are unwilling
to
change their lifestyle for the long term. Instead they want a quick fix. Healthy,
doable
weight loss is no more than 1 pound a week. Any more than that without a healthcare
provider's supervision may not be safe. No product that is worn (rings, earrings,
shoe
inserts) or rubbed on the skin can cause permanent weight loss.
3. The ketogenic diet is a popular weight-loss plan. What
concerns nutritionists about this diet?
You didn't answer
this question.
You answered
The correct
answer is
With the ketogenic diet,
you eat a low-carbohydrate, moderate-protein, high-fat diet. People like this diet
because they get to eat "forbidden" high-fat foods, such as bacon cheeseburgers, steak,
and cheese omelets. But by limiting fruits and vegetables, you may not get the vitamins,
minerals, and other essential nutrients you need. Talk with your healthcare provider
before starting any diet.
4. High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are faulted because of
their emphasis on saturated fats. What's another problem with these diets?
You didn't answer
this question.
You answered
The correct
answer is
These diets overwork
your kidneys and can cause dehydration, headaches, and bad breath. They also can make
you feel nauseous, tired, weak, and dizzy. On these diets, you lose water because
your
kidneys try to get rid of the excess waste products of protein and fat that your body
makes. A buildup of these waste products in your blood can cause your body to produce
high levels of uric acid. Uric acid is a risk factor for gout, which a painful swelling
of the joints, and kidney stones. This condition can be risky for pregnant people
and
people with diabetes.
5. If you follow a low-fat diet, you don't have to watch your
portions of which of these foods?
You didn't answer
this question.
You answered
The correct
answer is
Low-fat or nonfat
foods, particularly snack foods, may still have plenty of calories. These foods often
have extra sugar or other ingredients added to make them taste better. Sugar, extra
flour, and thickeners all have calories, which can add up if the foods are eaten in
excess. The number of calories in a food depends on the amount of carbohydrate, protein,
and fat it contains. Carbohydrate and protein have about 4 calories per gram. And
fat
has more than twice that amount, at 9 calories per gram. Fruits and vegetables are
good
snack options. Most are naturally low in fat and calories.
Your score was: