Encyclopedia of Diets - A Guide to Health and Nutrition

Watchers plan. Failure to do this can increase the risk
of developing health complications.

Research and general acceptance

Of all the commercial diet plans, Weight Watchers
is the plan that is most enthusiastically accepted by the
medical community. The program has been in exis-
tence for more than 40 years. Many independent stud-
ies have confirmed that it is a safe and effective way to
lose weight. In comparison studies, members that
attend Weight Watchers meetings lose more weight
than those who join the program but do not go to
meetings. The Weight Watchers plan also compares
favorably to other diet plans in terms of total weight
loss and maintenance of weight loss. Unlike some
diets, the Weight Watchers plan does not address
specific health issues such as lowering blood pressure
or cholesterol levels, or controlling type 2 diabetes
without drugs, although these effects may occur as a
result of adherence to the diet and weight loss.

Resources

BOOKS

Icon Health Publications.Fad Diets: A Bibliography, Medi-
cal Dictionary, and Annotated Research Guide to Inter-
net References. San Diego, CA: Icon Health
Publications, 2004.
Rippe, James M.Weight Loss That Lasts: Break Through the
10 Big Diet Myths. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons,
2005.
Scales, Mary Josephine.Diets in a Nutshell: A Definitive
Guide on Diets from A to Z. Clifton, VA: Apex Pub-
lishers, 2005.

Weight Watchers.Weight Watchers All-time Favorites: Over

200 Best-ever Recipes From the Weight Watchers Test

Kitchens. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Pub., 2007.

PERIODICALS

Kaplan, Lee. ‘‘Weight-loss Programs.’’Weigh Less, Live

Longer (Harvard Special Health Report). Harvard

Publications Group 2006.

ORGANIZATIONS

American Dietetic Association. 120 South Riverside Plaza,

Suite 2000, Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995. Telephone:

(800) 877-1600. Website:<http://www.eatright.org>

Healthy Discovery: A Weight Watchers Support Network.

<http://www.healthdiscovery.net>

Weight Watchers official Web site.<http://www.

weightwatchers.com>Telephone: (800) 651-6000.

OTHER

Harvard School of Public Health. ‘‘Interpreting News on

Diet.’’ Harvard University, 2007.<http://

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/media.html>

Health Diet Guide ‘‘Weight Watchers.’’ Health.com. 2005.

<www.health.com/health/web/DietGuide/weight-

watchers_complete.html>

Northwesternutrition ‘‘Nutrition Fact Sheet: Weight

Watchers.’’ Northwestern University, January 2007.

<http://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/nutrition/

factsheets/weight-watchers.html>

Tish Davidson, A.M.

Welsh dietseeNorthern European diet

West African dietseeAfrican diet

Women’s nutrition

Definition

Women have special nutritional needs due to hor-

monal changes that occur with menstruation, preg-

nancy, lactation, and menopause, all of which alter

the recommended daily intake of nutrients. Of the

many diseases that affect women, five have a scien-

tific-based connection to nutrition: iron-deficiency

anemia, osteoporosis, heart disease, type 2 diabetes,

and some types of cancer. In addition, many women

look to nutrition for the management of premenstrual

and menopausal symptoms.

Description

Anemia

Iron-deficiency anemia is a very common nutri-

tional disorder among females following the beginning

QUESTIONS TO ASK THE

DOCTOR

 Do I have any special dietary needs that this diet

might not meet?

 Do I have any health conditions that might affect

my participation in this diet?

 Are there any sign or symptoms that might

indicate a problem while on this diet?

 At what level of intensity is it appropriate for me

to begin exercising?

 Do you have any experience with the long-term

success of this diet?

 If one of your family members wanted to go on a

diet, would you recommend this one?

Women’s nutrition