BALTIMORE — New year, new you. However, you may want to be careful about the goals you’re setting and the products you’re buying. The Federal Trade Commission is issuing a warning on weight loss scams.
“The marketing is intense and they know what they’re doing when it comes to dieting and all the scams that are out there. It's really important to note that we are in the depth of it this time of the month,” said Eden Davis, a registered dietitian nutritionist and Co-Founder of Pearl Wellness Practice.
The FTC says weight loss programs can be wrapped in unrealistic promises and tricky subscription services that rack up unwanted charges.
“Weight loss is not a behavioral change, weight loss is not equivalent to health and wellness. 96% of people who diet will gain that back plus an additional 10% in the first to five years,” said Davis.
Hidden in reviews can be comments that scammers write themselves or pay others to do. The FTC warns of those eye-catching before and after pictures that may be AI generated or photoshopped.
Health regulators are also alerting people of a global trend, counterfeit drugs. In December, the FDA pulled thousands of units of fake Ozempic, a diabetes drug that has become wildly popular for slimming down.
"Always looking at addition over restriction is going to help us reach these behavioral changes that are realistic and sustainable,” said Davis.
“People try to get it done in two weeks. Something that you’re building takes time,” said Kira Denney, a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and Co-Founder of Pearl Wellness Practice.
Business partners Denney and Davis work with their clients to set intentions rather than resolutions. Their business, Pearl Wellness Practice, helps people who are struggling with eating disorders develop a healthy relationship with food and body.
“Just because someone’s in a smaller body doesn’t mean they’re healthy. Going in with what is my intention, and who can hold me accountable. Maybe it is having a therapist or dietitian or having a close friend,” said Denney.
Denney says sometimes those glorified goals snowball into unhealthy habits. A study by Jama Network finds that 1 in 5 teens struggle with an eating disorder.
“That all or nothing, that black or white thinking can be a limiting barrier. People start cutting out food that you need,” said Davis.
