CSPI attacks Dr. Phil's line of weight loss pills

I've looked at the Dr. Phil line of supplements, too, and found myself less than impressed. Based on their ingredients, I would never recommend them to people trying to lose weight. Heck, the diet bars are made with added sugars!

• WASHINGTON-The best-selling diet book authored by talk-show self-help guru Dr. Phil McGraw is a "tough-love manual that relies more on Dr. Phil's opinion than on science," but it at least recommends mostly healthful foods, according to the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).
• Dr. Phil's line of expensive dietary supplements, shakes, and nutrition bars, on the other hand, are high on quackery and aren't likely to help anyone lose weight, according to the cover story in the January/February issue of CSPI's Nutrition Action Healthletter.
• He offers one set of supplements and vitamins for what he calls "pear" body types and another for "apple" body types.
• In addition, he recommends spending an additional $60 a month to swallow 10 more so-called "Intensifier" pills each day.
• But according to CSPI, none of those pills' ingredients has been shown to promote weight loss.
• Shakes contain "scientifically researched levels of ingredients that can help you change your behavior to take control of your weight," CSPI says that they're just a run-of- the-mill powder made from milk, fiber, and vitamins.
• In its article about popular diet books, CSPI called The South Beach Diet by Arthur Agatston a "healthy version of the Atkins diet that's backed by solid evidence on fats and heart disease."
• Despite an unwarranted restriction on perfectly healthful foods like carrots, bananas, pineapple, and watermelon, CSPI says South Beach is the first popular weight- loss book in a long time to recommend a healthy diet.
• Other diet books, including The New Glucose Revolution recommend mostly healthy foods, but overemphasize the importance of the glycemic index on weight loss, according to CSPI.