Our Vetting Standards: How We Define Trustworthy Weight Loss
Our Promise to You: Filtered for Fact, Focused on Health
The weight loss industry is full of quick fixes, sensational claims, and undisclosed marketing. At Weight-Loss-Trust.com, we cut through the noise. We believe sustainable weight loss must be safe, science-backed, and truly sustainable.
Before any diet, program, or product is recommended, reviewed, or even mentioned on this site, it must pass our rigorous, 5-Point Trust Vetting Checklist. This is our commitment to providing you with only the most credible, health-focused information available.
1. Scientific Basis & Safety (The “What”)
We scrutinize the fundamentals of every approach to ensure it prioritizes your health over rapid, short-term results.
| Criteria | Vetting Question | Red Flags (Automatic Fail) |
| Realistic Rate of Loss | Does the plan encourage a gradual, healthy rate of loss (generally $\le 2$ lbs/week)? | Guaranteed loss of more than 2 lbs per week or promises of “effortless” results. |
| Nutritional Balance | Does the plan promote a varied, balanced diet that includes all major food groups? | Requires the severe elimination of entire major food categories (e.g., all carbohydrates, all dairy). |
| Calorie Floor | Does the recommended daily intake meet minimum caloric needs for a healthy adult? | Recommended intake of less than 1,200 calories/day for women or 1,500/day for men (unless explicitly medically supervised). |
| Evidence-Based Claims | Are the core mechanisms of weight loss (e.g., appetite suppression, fat burning) supported by peer-reviewed human studies? | Claims lack any cited scientific research or rely solely on anecdotal testimonials. |
2. Source and Authority (The “Who”)
Credibility starts with credentials. We verify that the people behind the advice are qualified professionals, not just influencers.
| Criteria | Vetting Question | Red Flags (Automatic Fail) |
| Expert Credentials | Is the content authored or reviewed by a credentialed professional (e.g., Registered Dietitian (RD), MD, Ph.D. in a relevant field)? | Authors are anonymous or use vague titles (e.g., “Health Coach”) without verifiable, accredited certification. |
| Editorial Review | Is there an explicit statement about an editorial board, medical review process, or a panel of experts who oversee the content? | Lack of any stated expert review process or use of content generated solely by AI without human oversight. |
| Professional Affiliations | Does the source have affiliations with reputable organizations, universities, or medical institutions? | The program has been publicly denounced or flagged by a major national medical or consumer protection agency. |
3. Transparency and Bias (The “Why”)
We demand clarity on how a program is funded and what conflicts of interest might exist. Advice should be driven by health, not profit.
| Criteria | Vetting Question | Red Flags (Automatic Fail) |
| Disclosure of Sponsorship | Is all paid content, affiliate links, and advertising clearly and obviously labeled as such? | Advertisements or sponsored content is disguised as objective news or editorial content. |
| Product Push/Conflict | Does the program require the continuous, mandatory purchase of its own proprietary products (e.g., special shakes, supplements, foods)? | The program’s entire model is built around forcing product sales rather than teaching sustainable, real-food habits. |
| Clear Funding Source | Is the website owner, company, or funding organization easily identifiable and accessible (e.g., on an “About Us” page)? | Owner/funding information is hidden, vague, or impossible to verify, suggesting a hidden agenda. |
4. Long-Term Support and Maintenance
True success is keeping the weight off. We prioritize methods that focus on lifestyle change, not just a temporary diet.
| Criteria | Vetting Question | Key Requirements (Must Pass) |
| Maintenance Plan | Does the program include a clear, structured phase for weight maintenance and transitioning off the initial diet plan? | Must include actionable advice for long-term weight management. |
| Behavioral Support | Are components for psychological health, stress management, or habit change included or recommended? | Must acknowledge the non-diet factors (sleep, stress, emotional eating) crucial to lasting success. |
| Flexibility & Lifestyle | Can the plan be reasonably adapted to different lifestyles, cultural preferences, and social settings? | The plan is so rigid and inflexible that it guarantees social isolation and eventual failure. |
5. User Experience and Results
We verify that the information is current, your data is protected, and success stories are grounded in reality.
| Criteria | Vetting Question | Key Requirements (Must Pass) |
| Current Information | Was the content reviewed and updated within the last 12-24 months to reflect the latest medical guidelines? | Content is clearly outdated or cites research more than five years old as its primary evidence. |
| Data & Privacy | Is there a clear, accessible, and compliant Privacy Policy explaining how user data is collected and protected? | The site lacks a clear privacy policy or asks for unnecessary personal/financial information upfront. |
| Testimonial Integrity | Are individual testimonials accompanied by a clear disclaimer stating that results are not typical or guaranteed? | Results focus solely on extreme, outlier success stories with no mention of the average person’s outcome. |
How We Use This Checklist
Every review and article on our site uses these five categories as a Scorecard. When you read a review, you will see a simple rating for each of these five points, allowing you to quickly understand where a program excels and where it has potential shortcomings.
We don’t just tell you what to do; we show you why you can trust it.