London, Dec 28 (IANS/EFE): British magazines should avoid promoting "fad diets and fitness myths" that do not actually help people lose weight after the holidays and may even cause health problems, a British minister said.
British Minister for Women and Equalities Jo Swinson said in her open letter published Thursday that crash diets can actually hurt people's health.
The minister wrote to both women's and men's magazines, focusing on publications that cover health, celebrities and gossip.
"Most diets don't even work anyway so this is a sort of myth that's being perpetrated trying to tempt people to buy these magazines and I think it's time they change their record frankly," told BBC Radio Five Live.
Diets that try to get people "to lose weight at a miracle speed or cutting out food groups, or skipping meals, any kind of these fab diets, actually can have negative health consequences", Swinson said.