NAD Examines Advertising From Ideavillage For ‘SLIMShots’ Liquid Appetite Controller

New York, NY – August 14, 2008 – The National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus has determined that IdeaVillage Products Corp. provided adequate substantiation for its advertising claims made for “SLIMShots Liquid Appetite Controller,” but recommended that the advertiser discontinue stating “every day.”

NAD, the advertising industry’s self-regulatory forum, examines claims in national advertising for truth and accuracy. As part of NAD’s initiative with the Council for Responsible Nutrition – an initiative designed to expand NAD review of advertising claims for dietary supplements – NAD examined claims in print and Internet advertising. Claims at issue included:

• “SLIMShots Liquid Appetite Controller”
• “Eat up to 30% less every day without feeling hungry” and “Now there’s SLIMShots, the coffee creamer-sized shot that can help you eat up to 30% less without feeling hungry.”
• “SLIMShots works by triggering your body’s natural appetite suppression mechanism … so you feel full.”
• “Unlike other diet products, the all-natural active ingredients in SLIMShots won’t cause jitters or embarrassing side effects.”
• “Works from the first day.”
• “Demonstrated to work in 4 published clinical studies.”

NAD determined that the advertiser provided evidence that SLIMShots is an appetite suppressant supplement product that contains the ingredient, FABULESS, a fat emulsion. SLIMShots is the first product in the United States to contain FABULESS, an ingredient studied and previously sold under the name “Olibra.”   

NAD noted that the product is based on the generally accepted science that emulsified fats can increase satiety when infused directly into the small intestine. SLIMShots is a fat emulsion, formulated from palm oil and oat oil, taken orally. The key ingredient in SLIMShots was tested in four clinical studies conducted over the course of seven years.

Following its review of the evidence, NAD determined that, overall, the results of the clinical studies supported the various performance claims being made for SLIMShots. The studies tested both short- and long-term effects affects.

NAD further determined that claims related to the absence of “embarrassing” side effects and or “jitters” were adequately supported.

NAD noted that while it was satisfied that the studies supported a general claim that SLIMShots will help consumers “Eat up to 30% less,” NAD recommended that the advertiser discontinue using the language “every day,” since there was an absence of evidence establishing that the same results could be achieved over time.

In its advertiser’s statement, Idea Village said it was pleased that NAD found the claims that “SlimShots helps you eat up to 30% less without feeling hungry; “triggers the body’s natural appetite suppression mechanism”, “does not cause jitters or embarrassing side effects;” “works from the first day”; and is “backed by four published studies” are all properly substantiated, but was “disappointed that NAD recommended that it remove the words ‘every day’ from its ‘30% less’ claim.”

The company said, however, that it would “make the necessary revisions moving forward.”