In Canada today, many young people believe that they have to be thin in order to be attractive. Fashion magazines like Vogue and popular television shows such as "Beverly Hills 90210", feature very slim models and actresses. Good things in life are pictured as happening only to thin people, while fat people are shown to be lazy or lacking self-control. These ideas, as well as pressure from other teens, make many kids feel that they must be thin. Sometimes this can lead to serious health problems. "A recent study estimated that 2 to 5 percent of the population suffers from an eating disorder. Nearly 95 percent of those suffering are teenage girls."(www.bodybreak.com) Unfortunately, at the same time extreme thinness has become so desirable, that the average teen has become less physically active. Many teens spend more time watching television, drive or ride in a car rather then walk or bike to wherever they go. Many teens do no participate in any regular exercise program or team sports. When calories are not burned through exercise, the only way to reduce weight is to eat less. As a result, hundreds of articles and books have been written about dieting. Diets based on good nutrition can be very helpful. But many are crash or fad diets, which are not only unhealthy, but can be dangerous. Fad diets focus on losing a lot of weight in a short period of time. Experts in nutrition do not create them, but they are usually done by people or companies who are only interested in making a quick dollar. They rely on people's insecurity and negative feelings about themselves, in order to sell ineffective diet books for an "instant weight loss." These diets can injure your health and cause serious problems. In this ISP we intend to explore weight loss diets, how they are detrimental to our health and the impact that these diets have on society. .
PROTEIN DIET.
There has been a resurgence of diets emphasizing increased protein intake to promote weight loss or to improve health.