Subway diet
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| Dubious diets |
| Food woo |
Because of the lack of scientific evidence behind Fogle's success (that is, no observations or controls, and no documentation of any other activities performed or medications taken while on the diet), being supported only by anecdotal evidence for a single person, the Subway diet qualifies as a fad diet. That is not to suggest that Fogle or Subway are deceitful in their motives, but rather that blind faith in a single product line ignores other factors that could be in play.
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[edit] Reality
Anyone who bothered to do research above and beyond a cursory glance at the commercials and billboards would realize that Fogle's diet plan was nothing new, and fairly simple. He practiced portion control, eating only six-inch sub sandwiches. He avoided high-fat meats and cheeses, choosing the leaner options (which Subway had already been selling as low-fat) and only drinking diet soft drinks. He also walked to the Subway. Finally, he did it over a long period of time—eighteen months, averaging about 15 pounds per month, which is a bit extreme but not for someone his size.
For a 400+ pound male whose previous diet had included entire pizzas and whole buckets of fried chicken for meals, it doesn't take a doctoral degree in bariatrics to see that he was obviously eating more healthful, low-calorie choices.
[edit] Banking on success
To this day, Fogle remains a spokesperson for Subway and they continue to sell Subway as a healthy choice, assuming you stay away from the meatballs and the bacon. Fogle has been paired with other spokespersons, including Olympic medalist/stoner Michael Phelps. For a short time, Subway even sold flatbread sandwiches and wraps under the Atkins logo, but no longer.
[edit] Copycats
The success of this campaign kept marketing gurus on their toes, trying to find similar spokespeople for their own products. In 2009, Taco Bell launched its "Drive Thru Diet" tailored after the story of Christine Dougherty, who lost 54 pounds over two years eating from the Fresca Menu (which was basically their regular menu with the cheese removed and additional vegetables added). Raised eyebrows from dieticians forced them to eventually abandon their effort, despite their disclaimer that "[t]he Drive Thru Diet is not a diet plan."