Quackery/Fraud have been defined as the conscious promotion of unproven claims for a profit. It is a method of advertising or selling that uses false claims to lure people into buying products that are worthless and sometimes harmful. Here are examples of both Health and Fitness Quackery:
Fitness Quackery
Many useless products are being sold to promote fit- ness. For example, you may have seen advertisements for thigh creams to reduce fat in the thighs. Such claims are a myth. These creams do not reduce body fat. Also be alert for the following worthless fitness devices and methods:
Exercise Programs
Programs that use passive exercise are ineffective because, instead of using your own muscles, they use machines or other outside forces to move your body.A variety of devices provide passive exercises. For example, rollers are machines that roll along your hips or legs. Vibrating machines shake body areas and are said to break up fat cells. Motorized belts, cycles, tables, and rowing machines are advertised for fat reduction and weight loss. These claims are false.
Figure Wrapping
Wearing nonporous garments and soaking in baths are often advertised for weight loss. These practices can cause overheating and dehydration and can be extremely dangerous to your health.
Spot Reducing
An unqualified fitness instructor might recommend spot exercises. Spot exercising refers to doing an exercise to remove fat in a specific location. Research shows that no type of exercise will cause fat loss at one specific location. You can do spot exercises to strengthen muscles in a certain part of the body, but they do not remove fat at that location. Physical activity does help reduce fat all over the body.
Health Quackery
Many people are willing to try new health products. In fact, the market is flooded with health products, many of which are useless. Although some of these products may not be harmful, false advertising claims give people unrealistic expectations about the benefits these products can provide. Be aware that many advertisers promote myths about health and fitness. You can recognize health quackery when advertisers make unrealistic claims about a product. Examples include claims that a product will promote hair growth, cure acne, make wrinkles disappear, or remove cellulite (fat tissue).
Food Supplements
A food supplement is a product that is not a part of the typical diet but is added to the regular diet. Supplements often are produced as syrups, powders, or tablets. Generally, they are sold in health food stores or through the mail. Common supplements are protein (amino acids), vitamins, minerals, and herbs. Packaged foods such as canned goods (e.g., canned vegetables and fruits), boxed goods (e.g., cereal, cake mix), and frozen foods (e.g., ice cream, frozen dinners) must have a food label that informs you of the product’s ingredients.
Sport Supplements
A current fad is the use of sport supplements or sport vitamins—products sold to enhance athletic performance, these supplements are also called ergogenic aids. Many supplements sold as ergogenic aids are actually quack products. Many supplements can be harmful to health.
Fad Diets
“Lose pounds a day on the ice-cream diet!” “Rice diet works wonders!” “Fruit diet dissolves fat!” How many similar weight-loss claims have you heard? Each claim is false and an example of a fad diet. Although fad diets are popular because they usually promise fast results, nearly all fad diets are nutritionally unbalanced. They often restrict eating to only one or two food groups, or even one specific food. As you have learned, a combination of physical activity and eating fewer calories is the only safe, effective way to reduce body fatness and lose weight. Eating healthy, low-calorie foods such as those being eaten by the teens in the picture can help you control your calorie intake.