On Eating Better and Addressing Food Challenges
Last week, U.S. News & World Report managing editor Gretel Schueller said “The most important aspect of a healthy eating plan is one that you actually stick with. It’s the one that is going to work for you, your family, your lifestyle, your budget, not just now, but six months from now, a year from now” and the publication ranked the DASH diet and the Mediterranean diet tied at number one among forty diets it reviewed.
The U.S. National Institute of Health, developer of DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), recommends: Eating vegetables, fruits, and whole grains .. limiting foods that are high in saturated fat, such as fatty meats, full-fat dairy products, and tropical oils such as coconut, palm kernel, and palm oils; limiting sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets.
"Choose foods that are: Low in saturated and trans fats; Rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and protein; Lower in sodium."
Comments by U.S. News about the Mediterranean diet included "The not-so-surprising secret is an active lifestyle, weight control and a diet low in red meat, sugar and saturated fat and high in produce, nuts and other healthful foods."
Separately, a report by the “Centre for Food Policy” at London’s City University said, “People engaging in weight management reported eating more, simply because food was always easily available and ... triggered them to want food more often.”
Kimberley Neve, the study’s lead author, said: “This review highlights not only how difficult it is to lose weight in Britain, and keep it off, but also that it’s not just about willpower or self-control: even people trying really hard are thwarted in their efforts by unhealthy food options that are everywhere – they’re easy to find, cheap to buy, quick and appealing.”
“the narrative needs to shift so that instead of going on the usual January diet, people ask for a food environment that supports them to be healthy… you need policy to level the playing field for industry to start making changes.”
OUR TAKE
There are many diet approaches that can improve your health – most recommend consuming less sugar, salt and ultra-processed foods, and include regular exercise in their process.
Global obesity, which has tripled since the 1970s, is attracting more research in, and development of, new therapeutics to address the problem – it will also require a better understanding of the problem by healthcare practitioners.
To address poor diet and obesity challenges both in the UK and globally will also require policy actions similar to those focused on the tobacco industry.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Ultra-processed/highly processed foods include: processed meats; potato chips; breakfast cereals; frozen pizza; margarine; processed cheese, non-handmade pastries; carbonated drinks; artificially sugared beverages; fruit drinks; milkshakes; instant soups and creams; mayonnaise; alcoholic drinks produced by fermentation followed by distillation such as whisky, gin, and rum
Processed foods include: salt, sugar, honey, vegetable oils (olive, sunflower, corn), butter, condensed milk, cream milk, fresh cheeses, cured traditional ham, bacon, canned and bottled fruit, breads (white and whole), beer, and wine
Unprocessed or minimally processed foods include: fruit, vegetables, legumes, milk (whole, semi-skimmed, and non-fat), eggs, meats, poultry, fish and seafood, fermented milk as yogurt, grains (white rice, pasta), natural juice, coffee, and water