Merits and Demerits of Food With Hearth Claims for the Prevention of Metabolic Syndrome

The merits and demerits of food with health claims for the prevention of metabolic syndrome (MS) are reviewed. One major underlying cause of MS is obesity. Diet and lifestyle changes remain the cornerstones of therapy for obesity, but resulting weight loss is often small and long-term success is extremely uncommon and disappointing. Many anti-obesity drugs have been associated with unintended therapeutic outcomes. Currently, only one drug (mazindol) is approved in Japan for short-term treatment of individuals with a BMI over 35 kg/m(2). Treatment with orlistat with dietary modification, caffeine, or protein supplementation; consuming a low-fat diet; adherence to physical activity routines; prolonged contact with participants; problem-solving therapy; and the alternative treatment of acupressure are efficacious in reducing weight regain after weight loss treatment. Because obesity is highly stigmatized, any effective treatment should be made available to improve quality of life and self-image. Therefore, it is necessary to provide information to consumers through the media concerning 1) basic knowledge about health foods and laws concerning them, 2) scientifically based information on safety/effectiveness of health foods and food elements, and 3) reports on health disturbances associated with health foods around the world.