For Release:
September 17, 2002 FTC
Releases Report on Weight-Loss Advertising
FTC to Hold Weight-Loss Advertising Workshop in
November
The staff of the Federal Trade Commission today released a
"Report on Weight-Loss Advertising: An Analysis of Current Trends." The report
concludes that false or misleading claims, such as exaggerated weight loss without diet or
exercise, are widespread in ads for weight-loss products, and appear to have increased
over the last decade. The Commission also announced that it will hold a public workshop on
November 19, 2002, to explore the impact that these ads have on public health and new
approaches for fighting the proliferation of misleading claims for weight-loss products.
Many marketers, the report states, use false claims,
misleading consumer testimonials, and deceptive before-and-after photos to market their
products. According to the report, nearly 40 percent of the ads in the study, including
ads that appeared in mainstream, national publications, made at least one representation
that is almost certainly false and 55 percent of the ads made at least one representation
that is very likely to be false. Often ads promised weight-loss results beyond what is
possible. Nearly half of the ads claimed that the users could lose weight without diet and
exercise. In one ad, for example, the headline proclaimed: "LOSE UP TO TWO POUNDS
DAILY WITHOUT DIET OR EXERCISE!" Other ads cited rapid, prolonged weight-loss claims
- such as claims that consumers can lose 8 to 10 pounds per week over an extended period
of time.
"We have known for some time now that there is a
serious problem with weight-loss product advertising. This report demonstrates the extent
of that problem," said FTC Chairman Timothy J. Muris. "Reputable marketers
continue to take care to avoid false and misleading claims, but it appears that too many
unscrupulous marketers are making false claims promising dramatic and effortless weight
loss to sell their products. It is not fair to consumers; it is not fair to legitimate
businesses, it is illegal, and it will not be tolerated."
The report, which examined 300 promotions that appeared in
all major forms of media between February and May 2001, was prepared with the assistance
of the Partnership for Healthy Weight Management (PHWM). The Partnership is a coalition of
representatives from science, academia, the health care profession, government, commercial
enterprises, and organizations whose mission is to promote sound guidance on achieving and
maintaining a healthy weight.
"There is no such thing as a miracle pill for weight
loss," Surgeon General Richard Carmona said. "The surest and safest way to
weight loss and healthier living is by combining healthful eating and exercising. First
eat healthfully - cut fats, eat at least five servings of fruit a day, and cut down on the
amount of alcohol you drink. Next, get some physical actvity in yor day. Walking just 30
minutes a day, five days a week can reduce weight, and make you feel better."
According to the report, a comparison of current ads to ads
that ran in 1992 suggests that there has been a dramatic increase in the number of
weight-loss products and the amount of deceptive weight-loss advertising, during the last
decade. The report noted two major trends: 1) a shift away from weight-loss products
advertised as "low-calorie meal-replacements" in 1992 to pills and other
products that commonly claimed to work without diet or exercise in 2001; and 2) that
although ads from both 1992 and 2001 contain deceptive or false claims, the recent ads
were much more likely to make specific misleading performance promises.
Since 1990, the Commission has filed 93 cases challenging
false and misleading weight-loss claims involving over-the-counter drugs, dietary
supplements, commercial weight-loss centers, weight-loss devices and exercise equipment.
Despite the unprecedented level of FTC enforcement over the last decade though, misleading
and deceptive ads continue to saturate the market.
According to health and nutrition experts, many of the
weight-loss products and programs most heavily advertised are either unproven or unsafe,
and frustrate efforts to promote healthy weight-loss efforts by promising unrealistic
results.
"As health professionals, we are concerned about the
epidemic of obesity and are equally concerned about false and misleading claims in
advertising of weight-loss products and services," said George L. Blackburn, M.D.,
PhD, chair in nutrition medicine at Harvard Medical School and a member of the PHWM.
"Many promise immediate success without the need to reduce caloric intake or increase
physical activity. The use of deceptive, false, or misleading claims in weight loss
advertising is rampant and potentially dangerous. Many supplements, in particular, are of
unproven value or have been linked to serious health risks."
Weight Loss Advertising Workshop
To address this growing problem of deceptive weight-loss
advertising, the FTC is separately announcing a one-day workshop on November 19, 2002 to
provide a public forum to explore the impact that these ads have on public health and new
approaches for fighting the proliferation of misleading claims for weight-loss products.
Consumer Education
The weight-loss report, as well as resources for consumers,
businesses, and the press, is available at www.ftc.gov/dietfit.
The FTC has the following tips for consumers who are interested in weight-loss products or
programs:
- Products and programs that promise quick and easy weight
loss are bogus. To lose weight, you have to lower your intake of calories and increase
your physical activity.
- The faster you lose weight, the more likely you are to gain
it back. Experts recommend a goal of about a pound a week.
- There are no miracle weight-loss products. Be skeptical of
products and programs that claim they can keep weight off permanently. Be skeptical about
exaggerated claims.
Consumers who wish advice on how to find a healthy weight
loss plan should visit the PHWM Web site at www.consumer.gov/weightloss. |