False Ads for Fighting Fat

(HealthDayNews) -- According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, about 40 percent of weight loss advertisements are misleading and 55 percent of them contain at least one unproven statement.

The commission studied 300 print ads and concluded that many of them made dubious claims -- especially regarding rapid weight loss or the ability to lose weight without diet or exercise. The FTC also cautioned consumers not to get sucked in by "before-and-after" pictures, because they are rarely realistic.