Scientists debunk celebs’ scientific claims

LONDON - Diets based on blood group, hologram bracelets to boost energy and magnets to help weight loss endorsed by various celebrities have been slammed by scientists.

Charity Sense About Science has reviewed comments made by stars, including singer Cheryl Cole, model Naomi Campbell and cagefighter Alex Reid, in an attempt to put the public straight about the evidence.

In Celebrities and Science 2010, new weight loss techniques featured heavily after being mentioned in celebrity interviews, reports the Scotsman.

Campbell was among those who spoke about the Master Cleanse diet of maple syrup, lemon and pepper, which followers must eat for two weeks and nothing else. The model said: “It’s good just to clean out your body once in a while.”

However, Ursula Arens, a dietician at the British Dietetic Association (BDA), said: “The body has many natural functions that eliminate substances which would be ‘toxic’ if allowed to accumulate.”

Cole and singer Cliff Richard also featured in the report after trying the blood type diet, which claims that people with different blood groups break down food in different ways.

However, the BDA said: “Your blood group cannot affect digestion or the way food is broken down - this theory is really just another spin on reducing overall calorie intake.”

Lindsay Hogg, assistant director of Sense About Science, has asked people to be cautious when heeding the fads being followed by celebrities.

“We have thousands of scientists who are willing to look at claims about medicine and science. We’d like to see more celebrities checking out the science before they open their mouths.” (ANI)