Analysis of Weight-loss Advertisements

 General Observations
An ad for a product made from ground-up shells of shrimps, crabs, and lobsters claims,
“Scientists dedicated years of research to come up with a high powered diet ingredient with no side
effects” and asks, “Have you ever seen an overweight fish? Or an oyster with a few pounds too
many? Everyone knows that sea animals never get fat.” A testimonial in this ad alludes to the
product’s ability to select only unwanted fat deposits: “The best thing about [the product] is that my
waist size is 3 inches smaller, now only 26 inches. And it has taken off quite some inches from my
butts [sic] (5 inches) and thighs (4 inches), my hips now measure only 35 inches. I still wear the
same bra size though. The fat has disappeared from exactly the right places.” In fact, there is no
convincing evidence that the shells of shrimps, crabs, or lobsters cause weight loss or that weight
loss can be selectively targeted to specific parts of the body.
An ad for a second product whose active ingredient is apple pectin is headlined, “LOSE UP
TO 2 POUNDS DAILY... WITHOUT DIET OR EXERCISE! I LOST 44 POUNDS IN 30
DAYS!” The ad further claims that “Apple pectin is an energized enzyme that can ingest up to 900
times its own weight in fat. That's why it's a fantastic fat blocker.” The ad claims that the product
can “eliminate fat for effortless weight loss” and that it produces the “same results as jogging 10
miles per week, an hour of aerobics per day, 15 hours of cycling or swimming per week.” In fact,
there is no known pill that will cause up to two pounds of weight loss daily (with or without diet and
exercise), and the claim of 44 pounds of weight loss in 30 days is not credible.
In an infomercial for yet another weight-loss product, a beaming spokesperson and a
purported scientific expert standing in front of a colorful pastry display assure viewers that to lose
weight while using the product, “you don’t really need any willpower. You don’t have to diet or
deprive yourself of foods in any way.” As the endorsers make these claims, the words “Call Now”
and “Risk Free,” with the telephone number to order, appear in large, yellow text on one part of the
screen on a blue background. At the same time, dim and indistinct white letters on a moving,
mottled background advise, “A healthy diet and exercise are required to lose weight.”
The world of weight-loss advertising is a virtual fantasy land where pounds “melt away”
while “you continue to eat your favorite foods”; “amazing pills . . . seek and destroy enemy fat”;
researchers at a German university discover the “amazing weight loss properties” of asparagus; and
the weight-loss efficacy of another product is comparable to “running a 20 mile marathon while you
sleep.” It’s a world where, in spite of prevailing scientific opinion, no sacrifice is required to lose
weight (“You don’t change your eating habits and still lose weight”). Quick results are the
(promised) norm ("The diet works three times faster than FASTING itself!"). You can learn how to
lose weight with "No exercise. No drugs. No pills. And eat as much as you want – the more you
eat, the more you lose." There is no need to worry because the products are “safe,” “risk free,”
and/or “natural,” and some marketers are so concerned for your safety that they warn you to cut
back if you lose too much weight (“If you begin to lose weight too quickly, take a few days off!!!”).
You can always get your money back because so many of these “amazing” products are
“guaranteed” (“. . .we’ll give you your money back. Straight away. No questions asked”).
And for those who remain skeptical, there is an answer. The products are backed by
“clinical studies” or are “clinically tested” (“Clinical and laboratory tests at leading universities and
hospitals, have proven that this product is effective”). Even if they do not purport to be clinically
proven, many claim to be the product of years of scientific research (“Scientists dedicated years of
research to come up with a high powered diet ingredient with no side effects”) or are “doctor
recommended.”
Moreover, according to many of the ads, you can “stay slim forever” because the weight
loss is “permanent” (“I can still eat whatever I want without any danger of gaining the weight
back.”). Finally, you can say good-bye to the
failure syndrome because no matter how many
times you’ve tried to lose weight in the past, the
product will give you the “secret to lasting weight
loss success.”