Abstract:
Public interest in weight loss is soaring. In Durham are three nationally known weight-loss clinics--Rice Diet Program LLC, Structure House Inc., and Duke University's Diet and Fitness Center. Each year around 3,000 dieters come to Durham from across the country and around the world. More participants could be accepted, but program directors say expansion would hurt their ability to serve their patients. Dieters contribute about $30 million to Durham's economy through fees that the programs charge, hotel rooms rented for weeks or months, and purchases from local retailers. Gray discusses the different diet programs.