Americans Expected To Trim Down Budget For Weight Control

January 5, 2009 9:42 a.m. EST

New York. NY (AHN) - Even if more Americans will tighten their belt in 2009, it will still be slim picking for diet marketers because of the many alternative, but less costly ways available for people to lose weight without spending too much or sacrificing food quality.

The culprit is the economic crisis which will make the job of weight watchers marketers more difficult. For the first quarter of 2008, over $50 million was spent by dieters on weight loss programs and products. This year the budget of many consumers for weight control is expected to be trimmed, conceded John LaRosa, research director of Marketdata Enterprises.

The veering away of consumers from weight control products was already felt by the industry during the last quarter of 2008. To beat the anticipated slow down in consumer spending, weight control marketers are offering coupons and other promotional tools to help Americans lose weight, while fattening their wallets in the process.

However, many Americans will try to lose weight on their own rather than join an organized group, which would cost money, said "Eating Patterns in America" author Harry Balzer.

USA Today, to help its readers, adopted for the theme of its sixth yearly Weight-Loss Challenge "Dieting on a Dime". Among the tips shared by the daily's readers are to use frozen vegetables instead of fresh ones, ordering side dish instead of main meals when dining out, watching out for items on sale and bringing a packed meal to work.

The recommendation of dietitian and "The Flexitarian Diet" author Dawn Jackson Blatner is for weight watchers and health buffs when doing their weekly grocery to buy 50 percent produce, 25 percent whole grains and 25 percent lean proteins and low-fat dairy foods.