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Diet Facts |
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Introduction & Overview |
Diet Facts is a Website providing nutrition information for many popular supermarket and/or fast foods. This information is presented through alphabetical listings of foods by brand, and is shown in the form of nutrition labels. Consumers can also find specific foods through a search engine. An extensive database of fast food chain nutrition information is provided. The remainder of the site seems to be devoted to advertisements for several different diet plans and products. The motto for this Website appears to be “Look B4U Eat!”
This Website has potential to provide convenient access to calorie and nutrition counts for many common foods. This certainly can be a helpful tool to a dieter, particularly in “real world” dining-out situations. However, while this resource may work well in conjunction with a concrete diet strategy, it does not appear to be a diet strategy in itself. In addition, the site seems to take up an inordinate amount of space on diet advertisements. Because the problem of obesity may increase the risk of premature death by at least 50%, we feel it is important for dieters to address this problem as comprehensively as possible. We will assess this Website’s ability to promote healthy, long-term weight loss.
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| Pros |
• Provides nutritional information for various supermarket foods
• Fast food calorie and nutrition database seems extensive
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| Cons |
• Does not seem to provide meal plans or diet strategies
• Exercise doesn’t appear to be emphasized or even mentioned
• Much of the site seems devoted to advertisements for other diet plans
• Website seems to solicit “donations” to keep project going
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| Concept |
This Website was apparently developed by a woman whose father was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, and was required to begin a restricted diet. Apparently, he was having difficulty locating nutrition information for many common restaurant foods. His daughter then began the database project that became this site. The Website states, “I'm very happy to be able to share my database and hopefully help other people.” She then appeals to readers for continued funding for the project: “Now, I could use your help... Making a small donation to DietFacts.com will help pay its hosting fees and other expenses.” It is perhaps this lack of funds that may be responsible for the prevalence of advertisements on this site.
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| Website |
In addition to the nutrition listings for supermarket and restaurant foods, this site also provides a discussion board, a “what’s new?” section, and a small online store. This store sells items such as bathroom scales, yoga mats, and a “sausage seasoning kit.” As previously stated, the site also lists advertisements for various diet plans and products. Some of these seem somewhat questionable, such as the “Fat Loss 4 Idiots” plan, which boasts a 9-pound weight loss “every 11 days.”
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| Similar Programs |
Compared to other calorie-counters, this site seems to be quite diligent and comprehensive in its information. However, it seems that because the project is low on funds, it includes more than the usual share of advertisements. Dieters seeking legitimate weight loss tips and guidance may find these ads to be frustrating.
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| Conclusion |
We commend this Website for its initiative in helping dieters to locate useful nutrition information. However, we do not feel that this site in itself serves as a sufficient diet and exercise plan.
In order to lose weight, dieters generally need to plan a reduced-calorie diet and schedule regular exercise. For extra support along the way, some dieters utilize herbal supplements. Some of these formulations contain powerful appetite suppressants such as Hoodia, as well as metabolism-boosters like Advantra-Z®. These ingredients have been shown to speed the rate at which the body burns calories, and also suppress food cravings.
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