Cash-Strapped Dieters Drop Weight Loss Programs

Millions of Americans are getting fat on the economic downturn—but not in a good way. As prices for essentials like gas and food spiral, the 20% of the population on a diet are turning away from highly structured weight loss programs like Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers in search of less expensive—and likely less effective—solutions, reports Advertising Age.

Dieters are more likely to buy a book or follow an ad hoc program. "They will shift toward less expensive do-it-yourself methods instead of a structured program like Jenny Craig that might cost up to $1,200 over three to four months," said a market research analyst. (More Jenny Craig stories.)