'You: On a Diet' -- Experts Speak Out
Jan. 12, 2007 — -- In their best-selling book, "You: On a Diet," Drs. Mehmet Oz and Michael Roizen approach weight loss from a scientific perspective.
In short, they say that if dieters can understand how the body processes and stores fat, they will be better able to identify why they gain weight -- and take steps to control these factors.
But how do the experts view this new offering?
Dr. Dean Ornish
Clinical professor of medicine
University of California, San Francisco
Sausalito, Calif.
"'You: On a Diet' is a wonderful book -- science-based yet entertaining. It takes a thoughtful, comprehensive approach rather than focusing only on food. I've known Drs. Oz and Roizen for many years; they are highly respected in the academic world and also gifted communicators and health educators for the general public. They bring together the best of all weight-loss approaches and give it their own unique perspective."
Dr. Dan Bessesen
Associate professor of medicine
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
Denver, Colo.
"This is a very interesting book, not so much because of the content, but what it demonstrates about what has happened to the 'diet book' as a format. I think this book is troubling because it may well be a marketing tool from a number of drug companies and food companies 'disguised' as a diet book."
Dr. Jana Klauer
Physician
Author, "How the Rich Get Thin"
New York, N.Y.
"The Oz-Roizen team is a winner; their advice is medically sound (as would be expected) and understandable to the general public. The importance of this weight loss plan is that Drs. Oz and Roizen primarily focus on waist size. Waist size is the single best predictor of the most dangerous fat -- fat around the middle -- and they simply and clearly explain how this hurts internal organs."
Dr. Fred Pescatore
Physician
Author, "The Hamptons Diet"
New York, N.Y.
"The only reason that book is the No. 1 best seller is because it speaks to you like you are a child and Oprah tells you to buy it. There is no new medical information or weight loss information in this book."
Mary Beth Kavanagh
Instructor
Department of nutrition
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, Ohio
"'You: On a Diet' would be better titled 'You: Living a Healthy Lifestyle.' The pros are that it is a non-diet approach to living and enjoying food, it emphasizes that dieters should not expect perfection, and its moderate caloric restriction reduces hunger and deprivation. But the 20-minute workout is totally inadequate to produce weight loss; some people need 45 to 60 minutes of aerobic exercise to lose weight. And recommending nicotine patches and caffeine for weight loss is very dangerous, especially in younger, older or hypertensive people; I am especially shocked by this section."
Dr. James Anderson
Professor of medicine and clinical nutrition
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Ky.
"This will appeal to the highly-educated consumer because of the complexity. They use current hot buzzwords in obesity research in a pseudoscientific manner. I think it is unlikely that many consumers will find it effective for weight loss or weight maintenance. Time will tell, but this will not have lasting impact, in my opinion."
Keith-Thomas Ayoob
Associate professor
Department of pediatrics
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Bronx, N.Y.
"About this, [Dr., Oz] is right on: the long-term battle is more likely won by changing things 100 calories at a time. However, the downside of that is that it amounts to about 10 pounds a year. Most dieters want it faster than that. There is also the emotional issue about overeating. If obesity were just about controlling hunger, we would have far fewer fat people. People overeat for a variety of reasons, and hunger is only one of them."
Jean Harvey-Berino
Chair and professor
Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences
University of Vermont
Burlington, Vt.
"I have been doing obesity treatment research for over 16 years. As far as I know there is no evidence to support the notion that any particular type of diet can help you reduce body fat more in one area that another.
"In fact, the real issue I have with most of these plans is that there is never any empirical evidence provided to support they are any better than our currently available techniques -- such as calorie restriction, exercise and behavior modification."
Brian Wansink
Director, Cornell Food and Brand Lab
Cornell University
Ithaca, N.Y.
"'You: On a Diet' is one of the most reader-friendly diet books on the market. Very simple and very clear. My comment on it could be summarized in the sentence: For most Americans, the answer might be less 'waste management' and more 'environment management.'"
Dr. Steven Heymsfield
Professor of medicine
Obesity Research Center
St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital
New York, N.Y.
"No new ideas; sprinkle in a little science with good marketing and an articulate Columbia heart surgeon, and you sell a lot of books, especially when there is nothing else out there. Finding approaches that really work is extremely hard and well beyond whatever these two authors tout in their book. Fancy package, but nothing inside."
Jackie Newgent
Nutrition consultant
New York, N.Y.
"I'm a big fan of the authors' ability to explain the complicated, science-based whats, whys and hows of weight loss, in such consumer-friendly language. While I'd definitely recommend this book, I would suggest skipping the part on supplements. My experience is that people who believe in even the slightest benefit of a supplement, often try that route -- or over-try that route -- as an easy way out for weight loss. Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts."
Joanne Shearer
Team leader
Hospital food and nutrition services
Sioux Falls, S.D.
"Drs. Oz and Roizen's diet plan is not 'the new biology of fat,' but common sense nutrition guidelines that registered dietitians have been teaching for years."
Dr. Richard Feinman
Co-editor-in-chief
Nutrition and Metabolism
Brooklyn, N.Y.
"Well, I guess that pretty much takes care of the obesity epidemic. I suggest for their next book: 'You: In Iraq.'"