Q: Isn’t March National Nutrition Month? What is this year’s theme?

A: National Nutrition Month 2007’s theme is “100 % Fad Free.” Sponsored annually by the American Dietetic Association, National Nutrition Month is a nutrition education and information campaign designed to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.

The American Dietetic Association says the most effective long-term way to achieve a healthful lifestyle is to be 100 percent fad-free.

“You can lose weight on virtually any diet,” said registered dietitian and spokeswoman Roberta Anding. “If you eat less, you will lose weight. The question is, can you maintain a healthy lifestyle over the long term – your life? The real key to reaching long-term goals is to focus on your overall health.”

Here are some key messages to enjoy a “100% Fad Free” lifestyle:

¢ Develop an eating plan for lifelong health. Too often, people adopt the latest food fad rather than focusing on overall health. Get back to basics and use the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPyramid as your guide to healthy eating.

¢ Choose foods sensibly by looking at the big picture. A single food or meal won’t make or break a healthful diet. When consumed in moderation in appropriate portions, all foods can fit into a healthful diet.

¢ Learn how to spot a food fad. Unreasonable or exaggerated claims that eating (or not eating) specific foods, nutrient supplements or combinations of foods may cure disease or offer quick weight loss are key features of fad diets.

¢ Find your balance between food and physical activity. Regular physical activity is important for your overall health and fitness, plus it helps control body weight, promotes a feeling of well-being and reduces the risk of chronic diseases.

¢ Food and nutrition misinformation can have harmful effects on your health and well-being, as well as your wallet. To help you get focused on “100% Fad Free,” test your knowledge by taking this quiz:

1. What is a fad?

A. Bellbottoms and polyester

B. Pet rocks

C. Low carb/high protein diets

D. All of the above

2. Following a diet fad is bad for your health…

A. Always

B. Sometimes

C. Never

3. Which fad diet was originally published in 1825 but is still popular today?

A. Cabbage Soup Diet

B. Grapefruit Diet

C. Low-Carbohydrate Diet

D. Banana and Skim Milk Diet

4. A diet that recommends the following should raise a red flag:

A. Special food or drink to detoxify the body

B. Eating a specific food with all meals

C. Eating protein and carbohydrates at separate meals

D. All of the above

5. True or false: It’s not a diet fad if it’s endorsed by a celebrity.

6. True or false: Some diet fads work.

7. What popular cracker was originally created as part of a health-food diet?

A. Cheese crackers

B. Saltine crackers

C. Graham crackers

D. Animal crackers

8. Adding physical activity to your day can help give you:

A. A healthy heart

B. Stronger bones

C. Less emotional stress

D. All of the above

9. If you eat 100 more food calories a day than you burn, you will gain how many pounds in a month?

A. 1/2 pound

B. 1 pound

C. 2 pounds

D. 10 pounds

ANSWERS:

1. D. We all make mistakes. And if you’ve followed any of the fads – A, B or C – you’ve had a lot of company. Fads are trends that seem like a good idea at the time, but often in hindsight they’re just the opposite. The most important lesson about fads is to avoid repeating them.

2. A. While you may lose weight with fad diets, they are potentially harmful to your health. A diet fad that excludes many foods or an entire food group eliminates key nutrients that are essential for health. Learn how to spot a fad diet. Don’t get caught in a diet plan that doesn’t allow foods you enjoy, promises fast weight loss or sounds too good to be true.

3. C. The low-carbohydrate diet has been around since 1825, when Jean Brillat-Savarin introduced it as the key to weight loss in his book “The Physiology of Taste.” Many decades and several variations later, low-carb diets are still among the most popular fad diets. Giving this diet another chance has never been shown to improve long-term health.

4. D. Requiring a specific food or beverage to be included with each meal or eating certain types of foods separately are clues to spotting a fad diet. There are no miracle foods or beverages that can lead to quick weight loss or stop you from aging.

5. False. Celebrity endorsements shouldn’t replace sound science. Make sure your weight-loss plan is based on research studies that support effectiveness and safety. And be sure to talk with your physician and a registered dietitian about your weight-loss goals, especially if you have a health problem.

6. True. But only for the short-term. You may lose some pounds quickly; however, long-term maintenance of that loss is unlikely. Dieters often return to old eating habits and regain the weight they lost. Developing an eating plan for lifelong health, combined with regular physical activity, is the best way to reach and maintain a healthy weight.

7. C. Sylvester Graham may be the originator of food fads in the U.S. Beginning in 1830, he promoted a bland, meat-free diet and avoidance of rich pastries, alcohol, coffee and tea. Eating his whole-wheat Graham bread was best. Graham crackers are his contribution to healthy eating.

8. D. Regular physical activity is important for your overall health and fitness, plus it helps control body weight, promotes a feeling of well-being and reduces your risk of chronic diseases.

9. B. You will gain about 1 pound in a month. That’s about 10 pounds in a year. The bottom line is that to lose weight, it’s important to reduce calories and increase physical activity. Find your balance between food and physical activity.