HEALTH AND FITNESS

QUACKERY

End Zone Explain the importance of being an informed

health consumer Name reliable sources of health-related and

fitness-related information Name and describe examples of health and

fitness misconceptions and quackery Evaluate health-related and fitness-related

facilities Describe the proper clothing and equipment

that you need for physical activity. Evaluate printed material, videos, and internet

resources related to health and fitness.

What have you bought?

Turn to a neighbor and share when you bought something and it didn’t do what you bought it for

Turn to another neighbor and share when you bought something and it actually performed the way it claimed to do

What is Quackery?

Quackery is a method of advertising or selling that uses false claims to lure

people into buying products that are worthless or even

harmful.

What is a quack, fraud, or con?

A quack is a person who practices quackery

A fraud is a person who practices and is guilty of quackery

A con is one who practices fraud to try to deceive you and get you to buy products or services that they know are ineffective or even harmful

Detecting Quackery and Fraud

Check Credentials Be Wary of Advisors Who Sell Products Check the Organizations of the Experts

You Consult Be Wary of Those Who Promise

Immediate Results Be Suspicious of Sale Pitches that

Promise Results Too Good to Be True Be Cautious About Mail-Order and

Internet Sales Be Wary of Product Claims Be Wary of Untested Products

Health Quackery

Food supplements are products that are not a part of the typical diet but is added to the regular diet.

Sports supplements are products sold to enhance athletic performance.

Fad diets are nutritionally unbalanced and promise immediate results.

Fitness Quackery

Passive exercises are ineffective and use outside forces or machines rather than using your own muscles to use your body

Figure Wrapping is wearing nonporous garments or special baths to lose weight

Spot Reducing is doing an exercise to remove fat in a specific location on your body

Evaluating Health Clubs

Join on a pay-as-you go basis, if possible

Choose a well-established club Make a trial visit to the club Choose a club that meets your

personal needs Consider special medical needs

Wear comfortable, safe and inexpensive clothing

Consider inexpensive home equipment

Consider your personal needs before buying equipment

Be sure before you buy Make sure you have the space to

put the equipment

Special Clothing and Equipment

Evaluating Books and Articles

Consider the credentials of the author

Check for sound information The recommended exercises should

be safe and effective

Evaluating Exercise Videos

Apply the same guidelines as recommended for books and articles.

Choose a video that includes appropriate warm-up and cool-down exercises

Make sure the video contains only safe exercises

Choose a video that rotates the use of muscle groups and all parts of fitness

Evaluating Exercise Videos cont.

Choose a video that is appropriate for all ability levels

Make sure the exercises start gradually and progress in intensity

Choose a video with a fun and interesting routine.

If the video does not meet all of these guidelines, modify it.

Evaluating Internet Resources Who developed the Website? Does the Website sell

products? Do you recognize any

suspicious techniques? Do experts find the Website

credible? How can we tell if an

organization is a Reliable Consumer Agency?