Your practice is likely seeing an uptick in discussions with patients regarding weight-loss goals. Some patients may want to begin their weight-loss efforts through diet and lifestyle modifications, while others may have reached the point where medical options, such as GLP-1s, are warranted. Either way, it’s important to have conversations about healthy eating habits. You may also want to advise patients that any program — whether it’s a calorie deficit or use of a GLP-1 — is largely dependent on proper nutrition. Here are a few ways to educate your patients about evaluating heavily marketed diet products.

Processed Foods

Share with patients that processed foods promoted as “diet products” don’t always help patients lose weight. “These include gluten-free packaged foods, fake meat, vegan cheese, and protein bars,” said Scott Isaacs, MD, president of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology and adjunct assistant professor at Emory University in Georgia, Atlanta. “These ultraprocessed foods can undermine healthy weight management.”

Research shows people consistently consume more calories when their diets contain ultraprocessed foods, leading to weight gain even when the foods are labeled as healthy alternatives.

Gluten-Free Foods

Patients who have celiac disease, or those who experience food sensitivity to gluten, may reach for gluten-free packaged foods they perceive as better choices. Some guidance to patients is warranted. “Gluten-free packaged foods are made from refined starches, such as rice or potato, resulting in lower fiber and protein, along with fewer micronutrients,” said Isaacs. “To improve taste and texture, manufacturers frequently add sugars and unhealthy fats.”

This combination increases calorie density, reduces satiety, and encourages overeating, he said.

Processed Plant-Based Alternatives 

Processed plant-based meats and cheeses follow a similar pattern, presenting little benefit for weight loss, said Isaacs. These products are usually high in sodium and saturated fat, with most of the saturated fat coming from added coconut oil and palm oil used for texture and taste, he said. “Their calorie density can match or even surpass traditional meat and cheese,” Isaacs said. “They are also low in fiber and protein, while loaded with added oils and fillers, contributing to greater food intake and weight gain.”

Navigating Protein Bars

Protein bars, though marketed for lean muscle and satiety, often contain more calories than traditional candy bars. “For example, many popular protein bars range from 200-350 calories, while common candy bars typically have 150-220 calories per bar,” said Isaacs. These protein bars also usually contain significant amounts of added sugar, saturated fats, and protein isolates, while offering little fiber or lasting fullness. “Routine use can lead to excess calorie intake and increased cravings that can work against weight loss or maintenance,” Isaacs said.

General Health Directives for Physicians

As stated, striving for a well-balanced diet and staying active is vital to achieving better health and well-being.

Claudia Dal Molin, DO, primary care sports medicine physician at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore has provided these tips to share with your patients:

• Suggest patients make half of their plate nonstarchy vegetables.
• Remind patients that unprocessed carbs are the healthiest.
• Encourage lean protein.
• Explain how exercise is required to preserve, and even grow, lean muscle mass. “And, strength training is a must,” said Dal Molin said.
• Caution patients regarding supplements for weight loss. “The supplement industry for weight loss is a very lucrative space but not because the evidence supports its efficacy,” Dal Molin said. “To my knowledge there is no supplement that has been shown to be meaningfully effective for weight loss specifically when used in isolation.”
• Encourage embracing a healthier mindset and lifestyle. “The evidence more and more points to some very simple, gimmick-free lifestyle principles as what matters the most to success with healthy living and weight loss, if that goal applies,” she said.
• Reiterate how efforts are combined and needed together for success. “It’s not just one thing,” Dal Molin said. “A calorie deficit is required for weight loss, and in that context, adequate protein to both protect the muscle mass and manage hunger is more effective.” Plus, she cited how in order to prevent muscle loss, exercise is required; strength training specifically is most effective at building and retaining lean muscle mass, but a combination of cardio and strength training is recommended.