Time again to make that New Year's resolution, and one of the most popular is to go on a diet. But most diets set you up for failure, offering just a quick fix, not real lifelong change. And sometimes they can even harm your health.

So if you've resolved to lose weight this year, that's wonderful. But make up your mind not to simply shed a little weight but to come up with a long-term eating plan.

To help you determine whether a particular diet plan is worthy of your attention and effort, the American Dietetic Association lists these "red flags of junk science":

• Does the diet promise a quick fix?
• Do the claims sound too good to be true?
• Is the diet plan backed by scientifically sound research that's published in reputable journals?
• Are the recommendations based on just a single research study?
• Does the diet give a list of "good" foods and "bad" foods?
• Are the recommendations also peddling a product that is on sale and only offered for a limited time?

If you can answer yes to any of these questions about a diet plan, look for some other option. If you want to devise a diet that will help you lose weight simply by eating healthier, make an appointment with a registered dietitian near you.

So by all means, resolve to change your diet and be healthier in 2008. Just go about it in the right way.