In a culture that prides itself on selection, the plethora of options extends itself to the dieting realm as well.

Slim-Fast, WeightWatchers, South Beach, The Zone, Atkins, grapefruit and cabbage soup: the options are endless. In a world of fad diets, college students are prone to dabble in such weight loss endeavors.

WeightWatchers, South Beach and eDiets are highly recommended as easy and effective diets, according to top-weightloss-info.com. The accessibility of such programs via the Internet has only added to their appeal.

Britni Jaudon, finance senior, speculates on why fad diets are so enticing.

"I think diets appeal to people because they are looking for something that is a trick, a flaw in the system, something that is easier than self-discipline," Jaudon said.

Jaudon, who recently lost five pounds through WeightWatchers and has tried the low-carb diet as well, said WeightWatchers was easier than other diets, because it allows the dieter to splurge on occasion and make up for it later.

Jaudon was not alone in her diet endeavor.

"My whole apartment was doing WeightWatchers. It made it easier to have everyone there doing it," Jaudon said. "No one's ordering pizza and eating it in my face. Everyone is doing it together."

The girls held each other accountable while on the diet, and they each experienced a degree of success.

"It's a whole lot easier to commit to something when you have people there cheering you on and keeping you accountable," Jaudon said.

Jaudon and her roommates kept non-WeightWatchers food and the subsequent temptation out of the apartment, providing a more diet-friendly environment.

Jaudon said she realizes the importance of long-term health and the ability to keep off lost weight.

"With a lot of those crash diets, you end up losing [the weight] and then gaining it back. You hurt yourself in process," Jaudon said.

Vicki Piper, a registered dietician at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, said rising obesity rates and peoples' interest in a quick fix contribute to the number of fad diets available to the public.

"I think it all has to do with the gimmick that is involved," Piper said. "I think Atkins has sold so well because a lot of people like meat. South Beach has not done as well, because it's a more complicated format. The [diets] that seem to last the longest and make the most sales are the ones that are the easiest to do."

Piper said a well-balanced diet with caloric restrictions and exercise is the best way to lose weight. In a well-balanced diet, there should be representation from all the food groups, Piper said. The distinguishing feature of fad diets is that an entire food group is eliminated.

She said some diets encourage positive practices, like the consumption of whole-grain fruits and vegetables and the elimination of sugar, which can lead to fat reduction.

"Slim-Fast is good because it's easy in the short term. But it's difficult in the long term," Piper said. "The downfall to long-term weight loss is when they don't change their eating behaviors."

Fad diets do not necessarily induce a permanent change in eating habits.

Piper said fad diets do not encourage a behavior change that equips the dieter with normal eating habits.

Once a target weight is reached, the dieter often returns to old eating habits and gains weight. Complications can arise in cases of rapid weight loss.

"Losing weight too fast can lead to lean muscle loss, nutrient deprivation and slowing of [a person's] resting metabolic rate," Piper said.

Piper said she suggests a well-balanced diet and exercise to avoid the health complications associated with fad diets. Jaudon agreed that such concepts are integral to weight loss and maintenance.

"I guess I look for logic in a diet. A lot of diets say 'Don't eat one thing, eat this.' My nutrition classes have taught me to simply eat less calories and exercise," Jaudon said, "If you're able to watch what you eat and keep a record without a specific diet, then do that, but it's easier for me to have that system."
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