DEERFIELD BEACH, FL June 1, 2004 —Although the low-carbohydrate lifestyle
has gone mainstream, with everything from top-selling books to supermarkets
and national restaurant chains offering products in this category, many consumers
interested in healthy eating don’t even know what a “carb”
is. This is according to a study designed to measure low-carb knowledge recently
conducted by eDiets.com (NASDAQ:DIET), the Internet’s premier one-stop
online diet and healthy living destination. Given this general confusion about
carbohydrates, eDiets.com is taking the lead on educating and informing consumers
by designating June 2004 as Low-Carb Awareness Month.
In choosing among a list of possible definitions of the term “carb”,
nearly a quarter of the respondents to the survey selected “a by-product
of fat metabolism”. The correct answer, for those who do not already know,
is “organic compounds that supply body energy” (Fat and protein
are the other macronutrients that supply energy). With the number of American
consumers who make a regular meal of burger, fries and a medium soda, the answers
to a related question may come as a surprise. Well over a third of the respondents
said this specific meal has 500 carbs, while almost as many (29%) believed it
has 200 carbs. Another 16% felt it has either 50 or 100 carbs. The correct answer,
given by only 19% of those who took the survey, is 150 carbs. The survey also
showed that many mistakenly believe a cup of oatmeal has “low-carbs”
and a slice of white bread is “very high in carbs”.
Finally, about a third of the respondents believe that it is possible to lose
weight and maintain weight loss without exercise, and that the Atkins program
is a “no-carb” meal plan. For the record, both of these answers
are incorrect. Rather, the Atkins Nutritional Approach™ is a “controlled
carbohydrate” program that allows participants to gradually reintroduce
additional “healthy carbs”, including fruits, more vegetables and
whole grains in appropriate portion sizes after the initial induction period
is complete. In addition, “it is the position of the American Dietetic
Association that successful weight management to improve overall health for
adults requires a lifelong commitment to healthful lifestyle behaviors emphasizing
sustainable and enjoyable eating practices and daily physical activity".
And contrary to the answer cited above, exercise is an integral component of
Atkins.
“Our mission is to inform, educate and motivate but, as this survey shows,
we’ve got our work cut out for us,” said Susan Burke, vice president
of nutrition services at eDiets.com. “People are confused and misinformed
about carbohydrates and the role they play in human nutrition, which makes losing
weight and maintaining weight loss a difficult proposition. Low-carb diets are
popular and research shows that they work. As this survey makes clear, however,
key learning is still needed on how to put together a solid and sustainable
low-carb meal plan. That’s why we have established Low-Carb Awareness
Month, which is needed now more than ever.”
In an effort to clear up the many misconceptions related to low-carb living,
eDiets.com has designated June as Low-Carb Awareness Month. Not a low-carb advocacy
initiative, eDiets.com’s Low-Carb Awareness Month is intended to increase
the overall knowledge on the subject among consumers throughout the United States,
so they can make informed choices when selecting a nutrition program, grocery
food products, and restaurant menu items. Activities planned for the month include:
· Low-Carb Solutions: A dedicated channel of the eDiets.com site, located
at http://www.ediets.com/lowcarb, to serve as a comprehensive hub of information
and resources related exclusively to low-carb living. The content, which can
be accessed free of charge during the June awareness period, includes relevant
news, definitions, FAQs, resource links, industry events, recipes, dining-out
guides, calculators and a dedicated low-carb awareness support board;
· Free subscriptions to eDiets.com’s low-carb electronic newsletter,
with a current opt-in circulation of more than 500,000 to date;
· Free access to eDiets.com’s “Low-Carb Challenge”
support board for those interested in joining other low-carb-minded dieters
in a weight-loss challenge
· A roundtable discussion among industry experts on the subject: “Low-Carb
Living – How Can It Fit My Lifestyle?”
“Atkins has always advocated that consumers get a complete understanding
of the principles and science behind a low-carb lifestyle before initiating
any controlled-carbohydrate meal plan,” said Stuart L. Trager, M.D., medical
director of Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. “We applaud eDiets.com for establishing
an objective and reliable resource through which consumers can find the information
needed to make informed decisions, and for increasing the nation’s overall
awareness on the subject through its ‘Low-Carb Awareness Month’
initiative. Efforts such as this will serve the industry well.“
"As eDiets.com’s recent survey uncovered, Americans know surprisingly
little about carbohydrates and low-carb living despite its recent surge in popularity,”
said Catherine LaCroix, editor of LowCarb Living Magazine. “This is why
efforts such as eDiets.com’s Low-Carb Awareness Month and its related
Low-Carb Solutions Web site are so important, as consumers clearly need, and
will benefit from, an impartial information resource on the topic.“
About eDiets.com
eDiets.com is the Internet’s premier one-stop online diet and healthy
living destination offering professional advice, information, products and services
to consumers seeking to improve their nutrition and fitness, live healthier,
and live longer. As of March 31, 2004, over 1.5 million consumers worldwide
have become eDiets.com members since 1997. Throughout 2004, Nielsen//NetRatings
ranked eDiets.com as the #1 Most Trafficked Health, Fitness & Nutrition
Site, Forbes named eDiets.com “Best of the Web” in the diet and
nutrition category and PC Magazine selected eDiets.com as its “Editors’
Choice”.
eDiets.com offers 18 personalized online programs including the Atkins Nutritional
Approach™, The Zone Diet, Shape Up!™ inspired by Dr. Phil McGraw’s
book, Ultimate Weight Solution, Slim·Fast®, the Perricone Nutritional
Face Lift™, Bob Greene’s “Get With The Program!”, the
eDiets.com Alternative to Jenny Craig, and more than a dozen specialized Healthy
Living programs for those with special needs, including the “Living With
Diabetes”, Low Sodium, Hypoglycemia/Low Sugar, Lactose/Dairy Free, Heart
Smart and Cholesterol Lowering plans. eDiets.com subscribers enjoy a wide range
of custom-tailored nutrition, fitness, support, motivation and/or other services,
including Online Anytime Meetings providing members with on-demand expert guidance
and inspiration and over 100 topic-specific support boards and chat rooms for
one-on-one motivation.
Dieting is a $30 billion market with established brands such as Jenny Craig®,
Weight Watchers® and several regional brands. Founded in 1996, eDiets.com
is a public company (NASDAQ:DIET) headquartered in Deerfield Beach, FL. that
operates Web sites at www.eDiets.com
and www.eFitness.com,
publishes and distributes one the Internet’s leading electronic newsletters
with an opt-in circulation base over 13 million, and holds affiliations with
www.eDietsUK.com in Ireland
and the United Kingdom, www.eDiets.de
in Germany and www.eDiets.com.es
in Spain.
