Fad Diets: Effectiveness and Health Implications As humans we are the only creatures who transform food into more than just a nutritional need for survival. American culture and society care about food, which poses a number of challenges for maintaining the health of both the physical and mental bodies (Abrams & Wells, 2005). This preoccupation with food causes many medical risks such as obesity, binge eating, food addiction, and eating disorders (Cogan & Ernsberger, 1999). Ward-Smith (2010) defines obesity as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater, calculated using height and weight measurements. Abrams and Wells (2005) state that obesity has gone from a moderate concern for a few individuals to an epidemic health crisis affecting millions of people. More than 35% of all adults in the United States are considered obese (Ward-Smith, 2010; Roehrig, Thompson, & Cafri, 2008). Ward-Smith (2010) points out that overweight and obese individuals cost the U.S. economy approximately $117 billion. In addition to the costly effects, there are comorbidities with many negative health risks, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, sleep apnea, and more (Ward-Smith, 2010; Roehrig, Thompson, & Cafri, 2008). The effects of obese and overweight individuals impact both the person experiencing the burden through physical and mental risks, and the society in which they live through cost factors. According to Abrams and colleagues (2005), America has not only a preoccupation with food but an obsession with excessive weight loss. The media has created a popular and desired image of thinness and thinness. As stated by Abrams and Wells (2005), the media portrays images of anorexic individuals as beautiful, sexy, and desired in our world. Serious risks and repercussions... half of the paper... Obesity - Part III: A quick review of some of the most popular low-carb diets. Urological Nursing, 24(5), 442-445. O'Dea, J. A., & Abraham, S. (2001). Knowledge, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors related to weight control, eating disorders and body image in Australian home economics and physical education teachers. Journal of Nutrition Education, 33(6), 332. Roehrig, M., Thompson, J., & Cafri, G. (2008). Effects of diet-related messages on psychological and weight control variables. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 41(2), 164-173. doi:10.1002/eat.2047010.1002/eat.20470Saltzman, E., Thomason, P., & Roberts, S. B. (2001). Fad diets: a review for the primary care provider. Nutrition in Clinical Care, 4(5), 235-242. doi:10.1046/j.1523-5408.2001.00003.Ward-Smith, P. (2010). Obesity: America's health crisis. Urological nursing, 30(4), 242-245