response 42 of 378:

Mar 5 12:41 UTC 2006

Re: 38 The research looked at two different types of diets, not really 
specific diets.  VLEDs are very low energy diets (low calorie) diets and 
HBEs are diets where the Harris-Benedict equation is used to calculate a 
person's specific caloric needs and then setting a caloric goal just under 
maintainance requirements.

 "But ok, lets assume that you have a 300lb person who is 6ft
  tall and who loses 30lbs by eating a healthy diet and exercising 
  regularly. Would you say that person is healthy?"

I would say that person is healthier.

 "I am saying that for a lot of people, dieting is harmful for their 
  health. Not all weight loss diets are healthy. Most weight loss diets 
  fail. Diets can lead to eating disorders."

Agreed, not all diets are safe.  But for the most part people don't tend
to tolerate reckless diets for long so they don't damage their bodies as
much as they give themselves the message they are failures and it makes
it harder to try again.  And if someone weighs ~300 pounds they already
have an eating disorder.