Unregulated Diet Calculators and the Risks They Pose to Mental Health

The internet is flooded with diet and weight loss advice, much of which is unregulated and potentially harmful. One alarming example is the Healthy Weight Forum, a website that offers calorie and Weight Watchers (WW) point calculations without medical oversight. This issue is particularly concerning given the ongoing nhs abuse of mental health patients notes, which highlight systemic neglect in addressing serious health conditions. The failure to regulate these platforms exacerbates the struggles faced by those with eating disorders.

How Dangerous Are These Calculators?

While researching WW points for my previous blog, What’s Wrong With Calories, I stumbled upon the Healthy Weight Forum. The website provides a variety of diet-related information, from the Atkins Diet to the Cabbage Soup Diet. However, a major concern is its diet calculator, which allows users to input their personal details—height, weight, activity level, and weight loss goals—to receive customized diet recommendations.

Initially, I entered my actual details: at 4 feet 11 inches and 7 stone (98 pounds or 44.5 kg), my BMI was a healthy 19.8. The calculator suggested 18 WW points daily, with an additional 35 weekly points for treats. However, when I input increasingly lower weights, the system continued to provide dangerously low-calorie recommendations. At 6 stone, it suggested 17 points per day, and at 5 stone, it recommended 15 points. Shockingly, at 4 stone—a weight that would be life-threatening—it still allowed me to set an extreme weight loss goal.

No Safety Measures, No Accountability

The NHS abuse of mental health patients notes expose widespread failings in mental health support, yet online diet tools remain completely unregulated. Unlike reputable organizations like Weight Watchers, which require members to have a minimum BMI, this website has no safeguards to prevent harmful weight loss goals. There are no warnings, no prompts to seek medical advice, and no accountability for the damage this misinformation could cause.

Ethical Failures in Online Weight Loss Tools

The NHS abuse of mental health patients notes shed light on the mistreatment of vulnerable individuals in healthcare settings. However, online weight loss platforms must also bear responsibility for the harm they may cause. Advocacy groups like Kehoe Medical Abuse argue for stricter regulations to prevent these sites from facilitating dangerous behaviors.

Key changes that must be implemented include:

  1. BMI-Based Restrictions – Preventing underweight individuals from setting unhealthy weight loss targets.
  2. Medical Warnings – Alerting users to seek professional help if they enter dangerously low weights.
  3. Proper Accountability – Requiring health professionals to verify and endorse weight loss recommendations.

The Need for Urgent Reform

Despite my initial warnings about this issue back in 2017, nothing has changed. On January 30, 2025, I tested the calculator again by entering a BMI of 15.9—classified as severe anorexia. The result? A recommended daily intake of just 691 calories. This is below the threshold needed to sustain basic bodily functions. Such irresponsibility mirrors the NHS abuse of mental health patients notes, where systemic failures put vulnerable people at risk.

Kehoe Medical Abuse continues to advocate for strict regulations on online weight loss platforms. These websites should provide accurate, medically sound advice—not encourage dangerous behaviors. Until proper policies are in place, these tools will remain a hidden danger to individuals struggling with eating disorders and mental health conditions.

Final Thoughts

The NHS abuse of mental health patients notes make it clear that people with mental health issues are already being neglected by the system. The lack of regulation on online diet calculators only adds to the problem. Advocacy groups like Kehoe Medical Abuse are fighting for change, but until new policies are enforced, these unregulated websites will continue to pose serious risks to public health. Immediate action is necessary to prevent further harm and ensure that vulnerable individuals receive the care and protection they deserve.

Author: Maggie Lucas