the ideal diet for health and weight loss essay

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Defining a Healthy Diet: Evidence for the Role of Contemporary Dietary Patterns in Health and Disease

Hellas cena.

1 Laboratory of Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy

2 Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics Service, Unit of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, ICS Maugeri IRCCS, 27100 Pavia, Italy

Philip C. Calder

3 Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK

4 NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust and University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK

The definition of what constitutes a healthy diet is continually shifting to reflect the evolving understanding of the roles that different foods, essential nutrients, and other food components play in health and disease. A large and growing body of evidence supports that intake of certain types of nutrients, specific food groups, or overarching dietary patterns positively influences health and promotes the prevention of common non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Greater consumption of health-promoting foods and limited intake of unhealthier options are intrinsic to the eating habits of certain regional diets such as the Mediterranean diet or have been constructed as part of dietary patterns designed to reduce disease risk, such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) or Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diets. In comparison with a more traditional Western diet, these healthier alternatives are higher in plant-based foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds, and nuts and lower in animal-based foods, particularly fatty and processed meats. To better understand the current concept of a “healthy diet,” this review describes the features and supporting clinical and epidemiologic data for diets that have been shown to prevent disease and/or positively influence health. In total, evidence from epidemiological studies and clinical trials indicates that these types of dietary patterns reduce risks of NCDs including cardiovascular disease and cancer.

1. Introduction

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, obesity, and cognitive impairment are among the leading causes of death and disability throughout the world, affecting populations in developed as well as developing countries [ 1 ]. Although there are established genetic and environmental contributors to NCD risk, modifiable lifestyle-related factors play a large role at the individual level [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]. Dietary choices, for example, contribute to the risk for developing hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, overweight/obesity, and inflammation, which in turn increase the risk for diseases that are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer [ 5 ]. Indeed, the marked rise in chronic NCDs has a causal link to global dietary patterns that are becoming increasingly Westernized [ 6 ], being characterized by high levels of fatty and processed meats, saturated fats, refined grains, salt, and sugars but lacking in fresh fruits and vegetables.

In recognition of the importance of the diet as a determinant of disease risk, the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases includes strategies for addressing unhealthy diet patterns among its initiatives directed at reducing behavioral risk factors; the other components comprise physical inactivity, tobacco use, and harmful alcohol use [ 1 ]. Dietary changes recommended by WHO include balancing energy intake, limiting saturated and trans fats and shifting toward consumption of unsaturated fats, increasing intake of fruits and vegetables, and limiting the intake of sugar and salt. Many of these dietary targets naturally occur in regional diets such as the Mediterranean diet [ 7 ] or are included as part of evidence-based diets designed to reduce disease risk, such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) [ 8 ] or Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) [ 9 ] diets. To better understand the current concept of a “healthy diet”, this narrative review describes the features and supporting clinical and epidemiologic data for diets that align with the general WHO guidance and have been shown to prevent disease and/or positively influence health.

2. Components of a Healthy Diet and Their Benefits

A healthy diet is one in which macronutrients are consumed in appropriate proportions to support energetic and physiologic needs without excess intake while also providing sufficient micronutrients and hydration to meet the physiologic needs of the body [ 10 ]. Macronutrients (i.e., carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) provide the energy necessary for the cellular processes required for daily functioning [ 11 ]. Micronutrients (i.e., vitamins and minerals) are required in comparatively small amounts for normal growth, development, metabolism, and physiologic functioning [ 12 , 13 ].

Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy in the diet and are found in the greatest abundance in grains, fruits, legumes, and vegetables [ 14 ]. In terms of deriving a health benefit, whole grains are preferred over processed grains, the latter having been stripped of germ and bran during the milling process, resulting in lower amounts of fiber and micronutrients [ 15 ]. Meta-analyses of prospective cohort studies have linked increased whole-grain intake to a reduced risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, as well as to the decreased risk of mortality due to any cause, cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory disease, diabetes, and infectious disease [ 15 , 16 , 17 ]. Fresh fruits and vegetables supply energy as well as dietary fiber, which promotes the feeling of satiety and has positive effects on gastrointestinal function, cholesterol levels, and glycemic control [ 18 ]. In addition, fresh fruits and vegetables are key sources of phytochemicals (e.g., polyphenols, phytosterols, carotenoids), which are bioactive compounds believed to confer many of the health benefits associated with fruit and vegetable consumption [ 19 ]. The mechanistic effects of these various phytochemicals are unclear but include their antioxidative properties, as well as their role in regulating nuclear transcription factors, fat metabolism, and inflammatory mediators. For example, flavonoids have been shown to increase insulin secretion and reduce insulin resistance, suggesting that these phytochemicals provide some benefits in obesity and diabetes [ 20 ]. Additionally, polyphenols interact with gastrointestinal microbiota in a bi-directional manner by enhancing gut bacteria and being metabolized by these bacteria to form more bioactive compounds [ 20 ]. Fruit and vegetable intake has been shown to inversely correlate with the risk of NCDs, including hypertension [ 21 ], cardiovascular disease [ 22 , 23 ], chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [ 24 ], lung cancer [ 25 ], and metabolic syndrome [ 26 ].

Dietary proteins provide a source of energy as well as amino acids, including those that the human body requires but cannot produce on its own (i.e., essential amino acids). Dietary proteins are derived from both animal (meat, dairy, fish, and eggs) and plant (legumes, soya products, grains, nuts, and seeds) sources, with the former considered a richer source due to the array of amino acids, high digestibility, and greater bioavailability [ 27 ]. However, animal-based sources of protein contain saturated fatty acids, which have been linked to cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemia, and certain cancers. Although the mechanisms are unclear, red meat, and processed meat in particular, have been associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer [ 28 , 29 ]. Animal-derived proteins also increase the dietary acid load, tipping the body’s acid-base balance toward acidosis [ 30 , 31 ]. The increased metabolic acid load has been linked to insulin resistance, impaired glucose homeostasis, and the development of urinary calcium stones [ 30 , 31 ].

Adequate dietary protein intake is important for maintaining lean body mass throughout the life span. In older adults, protein plays an important role in preventing age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass [ 32 ], preserving bone mass, and reducing fracture risk [ 33 ]. For older individuals not obtaining adequate protein from their diets, supplementation with amino acids can improve strength and functional status [ 34 ].

Fats (or lipids) are the primary structural components of cellular membranes and are also sources of cellular energy [ 35 ]. Dietary fats fall into 4 categories: monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, saturated fats, and trans fats. The fat content of food is generally an admixture of these different types [ 35 ]. Unsaturated fats are found in a variety of foods, including fish, many plant-derived oils, nuts, and seeds, whereas animal products (and some plant-derived oils) contribute a larger proportion of saturated fats [ 35 , 36 ]. Trans fats found in foods are predominantly the result of processing vegetable oils but are also present in small quantities in animal products (i.e., ruminant trans fats from cows, sheep, and goats) [ 35 , 36 ]. Among the types of dietary fats, unsaturated fats are associated with reduced cardiovascular and mortality risks, whereas trans fats and, to a lesser degree, saturated fats are associated with negative impacts on health, including increased mortality risk [ 36 , 37 ]. Two families of polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6, are described as essential fatty acids, because they are required for normal growth and reproduction but are not produced by the body and, therefore, must be obtained from dietary sources [ 10 ]. Omega-3 fatty acids, in particular, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have been widely studied for their potential health benefits, with evidence suggesting positive effects including cardioprotection, preventing cognitive decline, reducing inflammation, sustaining muscle mass, and improving systemic insulin resistance [ 38 , 39 , 40 ]. Seafood, especially oily fish, provides EPA and DHA, and supplements are widely available for those not meeting recommended intakes with diet alone [ 41 , 42 ]. Nuts and some seeds and plant oils provide alpha-linolenic acid, the major plant omega-3 fatty acid [ 43 ].

Although required in trace amounts compared with macronutrients, micronutrients are necessary for normal growth, metabolism, physiologic functioning, and cellular integrity [ 12 , 13 ]. The shift from whole foods to processed, refined foods has reduced the micronutrient quality of the modern Western diet [ 44 ]. Vitamin and mineral inadequacies have been implicated in cellular aging and late-onset disease, as scarcity drives chronic metabolic disruption. Keeping with these observations, adequate dietary intake of, or supplementation with, micronutrients that have antioxidant properties (e.g., vitamins A, C, and E, copper, zinc, and selenium) has been suggested as a means to reduce the risk for and progression of age-related diseases [ 45 ].

Water is the principal component of the body, constituting the majority of lean body mass and total body weight [ 13 ]. Water not only provides hydration but also carries micronutrients, including trace elements and electrolytes [ 46 , 47 ]. Drinking water may supply as much as 20% of the daily recommended intake of calcium and magnesium [ 47 ]. Our understanding of water requirements and water’s effect on health and disease is limited, although the global increase in intake of high-calorie beverages has refocused attention on the importance of water for maintaining health and preventing disease [ 46 ].

3. Common Health-Promoting Dietary Patterns

Based on our understanding of nutritional requirements and their likely health impacts as described above, healthy dietary patterns can be generally described as those that are rich in health-promoting foods, including plant-based foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, antioxidants, soya, nuts, and sources of omega-3 fatty acids, and low in saturated fats and trans fats, animal-derived proteins, and added/refined sugars [ 48 ]. Patterns such as these are naturally occurring in certain regions of the world and rooted in local/regional tradition and food sources, as is the case for the traditional Mediterranean and Asian diets. Healthy dietary patterns have also been developed based on studies of nutrient intake and subsequent health measures or outcomes (e.g., the DASH [ 8 ] and MIND [ 9 ] diets) that share some common characteristics ( Figure 1 ).

A generalized healthy diet and lifestyle pyramid.

3.1. Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is based on components of the traditional dietary patterns of Euro-Mediterranean countries and encompasses not only the types of foods consumed and their relative contributions to daily nutrient intake, but also an approach to eating that is cognizant of how foods are sourced (e.g., sustainability and eco-friendliness), cooked, and eaten, as well as lifestyle considerations such as engaging in regular physical activity, getting adequate rest, and participating in fellowship when preparing and sharing meals [ 7 ]. Within the core framework of the Mediterranean diet, variations based on geography and culture are reflected in the emphasis on the inclusion of traditional and local food products. The primary basis of daily meals in the Mediterranean diet is cereals such as whole-grain bread, pastas, couscous, and other unrefined grains that are rich in fiber and a variety of fruits and vegetables of different colors and textures that are high in micronutrients, fiber, and phytochemicals ( Table 1 ) [ 7 , 9 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 ]. Dairy products, preferably low-fat yogurt, cheese, or other fermented dairy products, are recommended daily in moderation as a source of calcium, which is needed for bone and heart health. Olive oil serves as the primary source of dietary lipids and is supplemented with olives, nuts, and seeds. Water (1.5–2.0 L/day or ~8 glasses) is recommended as the main source of hydration, whereas wine and other fermented alcoholic beverages are generally permitted in moderation, to be consumed with meals. Fish, white meat, and eggs are the primary sources of protein; red meat and processed meats are consumed less frequently and in smaller portions. Legumes are also a preferred source of plant-based proteins [ 7 ].

Comparison of nutritional/lifestyle components among different healthy diet options.

a Recommendations shown here are based on a 2000 calorie per day eating plan. b Contribution of total fat and quality of fat from cheese to stay within the recommended daily intake.

The health benefits of the Mediterranean diet were first described in 1975 by Ancel Keys, who observed a reduction in cardiovascular disease risk among populations whose nutritional model was consistent with practices of peoples from the Mediterranean Basin [ 53 ]. Since that time, research has revealed beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet on a number of NCDs and related health measures, including cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease [ 54 ], cancer [ 55 ], glycemic control [ 56 ], and cognitive function [ 57 , 58 ]. Although publication of a key intervention study (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea; PREDIMED) conducted at multiple sites across Spain and evaluating the Mediterranean diet for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease was retracted due to irregularities in randomization [ 59 ], a subsequent analysis adjusting for these issues reported a consistent positive effect of adhering to a Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil or nuts compared with a reduced-fat diet [ 59 ]. Substudies of PREDIMED have also shown that, compared with a low-fat control diet, the Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil or nuts is associated with a 30% reduced risk of major cardiovascular risk events [ 59 ] and reductions in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of 5.8–7.3 mmHg and 3.3–3.4 mmHg, respectively [ 60 ]. In addition, cardiovascular factors such as mean internal carotid artery intima-media thickness (−0.084 mm; p < 0.05) and maximum plaque height (−0.091 mm; p < 0.05) are improved with the Mediterranean diet supplemented with nuts [ 61 ]. Greater intake of polyphenols (phytochemicals found in fruits, vegetables, tea, olive oil, and wine) correlated with a 36% reduced risk of hypertension ( p = 0.015) [ 62 ] and improvements in inflammatory biomarkers related to atherosclerosis (i.e., interleukin [IL]-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, and monocyte chemotactic protein-1; p < 0.05 for each), as well as in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C; p = 0.004) [ 62 , 63 ].

3.2. Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)

The DASH diet derives its name from the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension study, which evaluated the influence of dietary patterns on blood pressure [ 8 ]. Patients who consumed a diet that was rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy and that included a reduced amount of saturated and total fat and cholesterol experienced significantly greater reductions in blood pressure than patients who consumed a control diet that was similar in composition to a typical American diet (difference in SBP/DBP, −5.5/−3.0 mmHg; p < 0.001) or a diet rich in fruits and vegetables with a reduced amount of snacks and sweets (−2.7/−1.9 mmHg; p ≤ 0.002). All 3 diets had a sodium content of 3 g per day. A subsequent study (DASH-Sodium) that explored the DASH diet or a control diet in combination with varying levels of sodium intake (high, intermediate, and low) found that the DASH diet significantly reduced SBP during the high, intermediate, and low sodium intake phases of both diets (high: −5.9 mmHg; p < 0.001; intermediate: −5.0 mmHg; p < 0.001; low: −2.2 mmHg; p < 0.05) [ 64 ]. The DASH diet also significantly reduced DBP versus the control diet during the high (−2.9 mmHg; p < 0.001) and intermediate (−2.5 mmHg; p < 0.01) sodium intake phases but not during the low intake phase (−1.0 mmHg). Although reducing sodium intake also significantly reduced blood pressure in the control diet group ( p < 0.05), the low sodium phase of the DASH diet elicited significant decreases in SBP/DBP of −8.9/−4.5 mmHg ( p < 0.001 for each) compared with high sodium intake phase of the control diet.

Subsequent controlled trials, as a whole, support the results of the DASH and DASH-Sodium studies in terms of blood pressure reduction. Moreover, these studies expanded the positive impacts of the DASH diet to include improvements in other cardiovascular risk factors or comorbidities (e.g., low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], total cholesterol, overweight/obesity, and insulin sensitivity) [ 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 ] and reductions in adverse outcomes such as development of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes (including improved pregnancy outcomes in women with gestational diabetes) [ 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 ]. Meta-analyses of studies using the DASH diet have demonstrated that LDL-C is significantly reduced by −0.1 mmol/L ( p = 0.03) [ 65 , 68 ], total cholesterol by −0.2 mmol/L ( p < 0.001) [ 65 , 68 ], body weight by −1.42 kg ( p < 0.001) [ 66 , 68 ], and fasting insulin by −0.15 μU/mL ( p < 0.001) [ 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 ]. With the DASH diet, the risk of cardiovascular disease is reduced by 20%, stroke by 19%, and heart failure by 29% ( p < 0.001 for each) [ 69 , 71 ]. The overall risk of diabetes is reduced by 18% [ 68 ], and children and adolescents with higher DASH scores (i.e., those whose diets included the highest intakes of fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, low-fat dairy, and whole grains) were at 64% lower risk of developing metabolic syndrome than those with the lowest DASH scores ( p = 0.023) [ 71 ]. Furthermore, rates of cesarean section decreased by 47% [ 72 ], incidence of macrosomia (birth weight > 4000 g) decreased from 39% to 4% ( p = 0.002) [ 70 ], and significantly fewer women experienced gestational diabetes that required insulin therapy on the DASH diet (23%) compared with the control diet (73%; p < 0.0001) [ 70 ].

The dietary pattern derived from the DASH study emphasizes the consumption of an array of vegetables (including colorful varieties, legumes, and starchy vegetables), fruits, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, whole grains, and various protein sources (e.g., seafood, lean meats, eggs, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soya) ( Table 1 ) [ 49 ]. Limited consumption of added sugars (< 10% of calories per day), saturated fats (< 10% of calories per day), sodium (< 2300 mg/day), and alcohol (≤ 1 drink per day for women and ≤ 2 drinks per day for men) is suggested. In addition, further reductions in blood pressure may be achievable by further reducing sodium intake, although practical challenges may limit the ability to achieve sodium intake of 1200 mg or less per day [ 49 ].

3.3. Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND)

The MIND diet combines elements of the Mediterranean and DASH diets with the goal of sustaining cognitive health throughout older age [ 9 ]. Both the Mediterranean and DASH diets have been individually linked to positive cognitive outcomes, including the prevention of cognitive decline or impairment and better cognitive performance [ 73 , 74 , 75 ]. Two high-quality cohort studies have reported associations between adherence to the MIND diet and a 53% lower risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease ( p = 0.002 for linear trend) [ 50 ] and slower declines in cognitive functioning, both overall and within specific cognitive domains (e.g., episodic, semantic, and working memory and perceptual speed and organization), such that the highest adherence rates to the MIND diet were associated with cognitive function equivalent to being 7.5 years younger [ 50 , 76 ]. Interestingly, even modest adherence to the MIND diet was associated with a 35% risk reduction for Alzheimer’s disease versus the lowest adherence group ( p = 0.002 for linear trend), whereas high adherence was needed to demonstrate 54% and 39% risk reductions with the Mediterranean and DASH diets, respectively; high adherence to the Mediterranean and DASH diet showed a statistically significant benefit [ 50 ].

The MIND diet focuses on increasing the intake of fresh fruits and vegetables and emphasizes brain-healthy foods such as green leafy vegetables, nuts, berries, beans, whole grains, fish, poultry, olive oil, and wine in moderation ( Table 1 ) [ 9 , 50 ]. Additionally, foods that are thought to be unhealthy for the brain, such as red meats, butter/margarine, cheese, pastries, sweets, and fried or fast food, are limited [ 9 ]. The specificity regarding the types of foods on the healthy and unhealthy lists differentiates MIND from the Mediterranean or DASH diets [ 50 ].

3.4. Nordic Diet

Iterations of a Nordic diet (e.g., the healthy Nordic diet, New Nordic Diet) arose from the desire to translate the Mediterranean, DASH, and other health-promoting diets into a regionally tailored dietary pattern that uses traditional, local Nordic foods and would be attractive to the public, sustainable, and eco-friendly [ 77 , 78 ]. Overarching tenets of the New Nordic Diet are to consume more (1) calories from plant sources and fewer from animal sources, (2) foods from seas and lakes, and (3) foods from the wild countryside [ 78 , 79 ]. A generalized Nordic dietary pattern would include green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, fruits, fish and seafood, potatoes, berries, whole grains (e.g., wheat, rye, oats, barley), nuts, low-fat dairy products, rapeseed, sunflower, and/or soya oils and limited intake of fresh red meat and sugar [ 78 , 80 ]. Specific dietary recommendations based on the NORDIET clinical trial are presented in Table 1 [ 51 ].

The randomized, controlled NORDIET study compared a healthy Nordic diet with a control diet (the participant’s usual Western diet) [ 77 ]. Over 6 weeks, the Nordic diet improved the lipid profile (including a 0.98 mmol/L reduction in total cholesterol [ p < 0.0001] and a 0.83 mmol/L reduction in LDL-C [ p < 0.001]), lowered SBP by 6.6 mmHg ( p = 0.008), and improved insulin sensitivity (homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance decreased 0.11; p = 0.01) compared with the control diet. Those on the Nordic diet also experienced a 3.0 kg decrease in body weight ( p < 0.001) despite food being available ad libitum.

Results from subsequent studies conducted using Nordic diet variations are consistent with those from studies with the NORDIET study, demonstrating improvements relative to the control diet in blood lipid profile (LDL-C/HDL-C ratio, −0.15; p = 0.046) [ 81 ], inflammation (IL-1 receptor antagonist, −84 ng/L; p < 0.001) [ 81 ], blood pressure (DBP, −4.4 mmHg ( p = 0.001), and mean arterial pressure (−4.2 mmHg; p = 0.006) among patients with metabolic syndrome [ 82 ] and weight loss (−3.22 kg; p < 0.001) [ 83 ] and blood pressure reduction (SBP/DBP, −5.13/−3.24 mmHg; p < 0.05) in individuals with obesity [ 83 ]. Compared with baseline values, one study demonstrated blood pressure reductions of −6.9 mmHg (SBP) and −3.2 mmHg (DBP; p < 0.01) [ 83 , 84 ]. Additionally, a study conducted in children reported an improvement in omega-3 fatty acid status with the Nordic diet that was associated with improvements in school performance ( p < 0.05) [ 85 ]. A systematic review parsing the individual components of the Nordic diet found that evidence supported the protective effects of eating whole grains on type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk, but that there was insufficient evidence for other foods in the Nordic diet [ 86 ].

3.5. Traditional Asian Diets

Although there is substantial evidence supporting the Mediterranean and other European-based diets, traditional regional dietary patterns from other parts of the world that follow similar principles have less–well-established links to positive health outcomes. A full description of the breadth of regional diets and the associated evidence bases is beyond the scope of this publication, but we consider some Asian-based diets to be particularly relevant to this discussion.

The traditional Korean diet is composed of rice and other whole grains, fermented food, indigenous land and sea vegetables, proteins primarily from legumes and fish as opposed to red meat, medicinal herbs (e.g., garlic, green onions, ginger), and sesame and perilla oils [ 87 ]. Meals typically consist of multiple small-portion dishes are often derived from seasonal food sources and are home-cooked. Unlike the Western diet, the traditional Korean diet does not include many fried foods [ 87 ]. Epidemiologic data suggest a reduced risk of metabolic syndrome (odds ratio [OR]: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.60–0.99), obesity (OR: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.55–0.95), hypertension (OR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.57–0.98), and hypertriglyceridemia (OR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.59–0.99) among individuals who follow traditional Korean dietary patterns [ 88 ]. These findings are consistent with a controlled clinical trial that explored the effects of a traditional Korean diet compared with a control diet (“eat as usual”) on cardiovascular risk factors in patients with diabetes and hypertension. In that study, adherence to a traditional Korean diet favorably influenced body composition (body weight, −2.3 kg; body mass index [BMI], −0.83 kg/m 2 ; body fat, −2.2%; p < 0.01), heart rate (−7.1 bpm; p = 0.002), and glycemic control (HbA1c, −0.72%; p = 0.003) [ 89 ].

The traditional Chinese diet features rice or noodles, soups, vegetables, steamed breads or dumplings, fruits and vegetables, soy, seafood, and meat [ 90 , 91 ]. Although higher in carbohydrates and lower in fat compared with a Western diet, the traditional Chinese diet does not appear to promote weight gain in healthy, normal-weight Chinese, suggesting that carbohydrate restriction may not be a universally applicable intervention to combat obesity and cardiometabolic risk [ 92 ]. One 6-week controlled trial demonstrated that 52% of non-Chinese individuals with overweight or obesity who adhered to a traditional Chinese diet had a reduction in BMI while preserving lean body mass compared with 28% of those who followed a Western diet at the 1-year follow-up assessment [ 93 ]. In another trial, BMI decreased by 0.37 kg/m 2 and lean mass by 0.21 kg among subjects who adhered to a traditional Chinese diet for 6 weeks, whereas those who followed a Western diet had 0.26 kg/m 2 and 0.49 kg reductions in BMI and lean body mass, respectively [ 94 ]. Notably, both of these studies restricted caloric intake to 1,200 Kcal for the test and control diet groups.

Similar to the Korean diet, the traditional Japanese diet (known as Washoku) is characterized by small portions of multiple components, primarily including rice, fish (often eaten raw), soups, and pickles [ 95 ]. Fermented soybean paste (dashi) serves as the base of many of the soups that are central to the traditional Japanese diet; other ingredients include seaweed, fruits and vegetables, and mushrooms. The use of chopsticks, alternating between dishes of small portion size throughout a meal, and the base flavor of Japanese food (umami) enhance satiety and help to prevent overeating. Adherence to a traditional Japanese dietary pattern has been associated with favorable effects on blood pressure among apparently healthy Japanese adults [ 96 ]. This is consistent with data from the 2012 Japan National Health and Nutrition Survey demonstrating that adherence to a traditional Japanese diet compared with a Western diet or a meat- and fat-based dietary pattern was associated with a lower prevalence of hypertension in men [ 97 ]. However, in the same study, a traditional Japanese diet was associated with higher DBP in women, as well as higher waist circumference and BMI in men. Further study is needed to elucidate the health impacts of traditional Japanese and other Asian dietary patterns.

4. Additional Factors

While the evidence reviewed here suggests that the described dietary patterns positively influence measures of health and disease risk and outcome because they encourage the intake of foods that individually have beneficial effects and the avoidance of unhealthy options, additional factors combine to create a lifestyle that promotes health. For example, healthy diets include adequate hydration, typically in the form of water or tea/herbal infusions [ 7 , 49 , 51 , 52 ]. In addition to the dietary components, a healthy lifestyle is one that incorporates regular exercise, socialization, and adequate sleep [ 7 , 52 ], and minimizes elements that have a negative effect on health such as tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, large amounts of screen time, and stress.

The importance of non-dietary factors is reflected in their inclusion in modern food pyramids. Built on a base of positive lifestyle factors, the lower tiers indicate daily consumption of adequate hydration and nutrient-rich, plant-based foods, with animal-derived products (meat, fish, and dairy) and sweets comprising higher tiers of the pyramid (i.e., less frequently or infrequently consumed items).

Whereas the goal may be to achieve nutrient requirements through food and water intake alone, there are situations in which food-derived nutrient intake might be inadequate due to increased need, selective eating, or food insecurity/limited access to more nutritious foods [ 98 , 99 , 100 ]. Therefore, for some individuals, dietary supplements may be required, particularly at certain life phases. For example, later in life, the recommended intake of calcium increases to sustain bone mineral density [ 101 ]; hence, supplementation with calcium may be necessary to meet recommended intake levels in older adults. Before initiating supplementation, dietary intake levels should be considered to avoid exceeding the upper tolerability limits and causing adverse events.

There are a number of other traditional regional diets that likely have similar benefits to those that we describe here. However, we made the decision to narrow our focus to those diets with evidence from randomized, controlled trials demonstrating their health benefits. For example, the African Heritage Diet focuses on traditional ingredients that may be beneficial to African American populations who experience disproportionately higher risks for chronic diseases related to their diets [ 102 ]. Future research is warranted to evaluate the impact of the African Heritage Diet and other regional dietary patterns on health.

5. Conclusions

Healthy diets, arising either by tradition or design, share many common features and generally align with the WHO Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases. In comparison with a Western diet, these healthier alternatives are higher in plant-based foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds, and nuts and lower in animal-based foods, particularly fatty and processed meats. Evidence from epidemiologic studies and clinical trials indicates that these types of dietary patterns reduce risks of NCDs ranging from cardiovascular disease to cancer. Further endeavors are needed to integrate these healthy dietary and lifestyle choices into daily living in communities throughout the world and to make healthy eating accessible, achievable, and sustainable.

Acknowledgments

Medical writing support was provided by Crystal Murcia, PhD, and Dennis Stancavish, MA, of Peloton Advantage, LLC, an OPEN Health company, and was funded by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare. On 1 August 2019, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare became part of GSK Consumer Healthcare.

Author Contributions

H.C. and P.C.C. contributed to the conception of the work; the acquisition, analysis, and interpretation of data; drafting; and revision of the work. Both have approved the final version for submission and agree to be personally accountable for their contributions and for ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated, resolved, and documented in the literature. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Medical writing support was funded by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare; this research received no other external funding. The APC was funded by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare. On 1 August 2019, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare became part of GSK Consumer Healthcare.

Conflicts of Interest

Hellas Cena received travel reimbursement from Pfizer Consumer Healthcare to attend a discussion meeting prior to drafting the manuscript and acts as a consultant to companies that manufacture or market dietary supplements, including Pfizer Consumer Healthcare. Philip C. Calder received travel reimbursement from Pfizer Consumer Healthcare to attend a discussion meeting prior to drafting the manuscript. Pfizer Consumer Healthcare funded this project, but the company had no role in the design, execution, interpretation, or writing of the paper.

Healthy Weight

What Is a Healthy Weight?

A healthy weight is a number that is associated with a low risk of weight-related diseases and health issues. Although healthy weight guidelines have been developed at population levels, each person’s healthy weight range will vary and depend on factors such as age, sex, genetics, body frame, existing medical history, lifestyle habits, and weight as a young adult. Weight is only one of many determinants of health. Body mass index (BMI), which measures weight standardized for height, is often used as a measure of health risk. Although it does not measure body fat or body composition directly, research has shown BMI to correlate closely with other methods that directly measure body fat .

The Metropolitan Life Height-Weight tables were created by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in 1943 to estimate longevity using height and weight data from 4 million policy holders. [1,2] They were intended to be a simple tool showing “ideal” weight ranges that were associated with the lowest rates of early death. People from the ages of 25 to 59 whose weights fell within the listed ranges for sex (men or women), frame (small, medium, or large), and height were found to have the lowest mortality rates. These weight tables were often used to determine target weights Since then, the tables have been revised twice, changing the term “ideal” to “desirable” weight, and finally simply “height to weight” tables. Though some health professionals and the general public still refer to the tables today as a guideline for optimal weight ranges, there are many criticisms about the tables such as not accounting for body composition (e.g., fat vs. muscle mass), data limited to mainly Caucasian Americans, and lack of information on causes of mortality (e.g., certain conditions like cancer that may cause a lower body weight).

There are many reasons for weight gain including certain medications (corticosteroids, antidepressants, beta-blockers, antipsychotics, insulin), pregnancy, chronic stress, chronically poor sleep, an excessive calorie intake, and lack of adequate exercise. [3,4]

It is beneficial to keep a steady weight as much as possible and control excessive weight gain over time, which is strongly associated with health risks.

Maintain, Don’t Gain

Maintaining a healthy weight can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, and many different cancers. [5]

Your weight, waist size, and the amount of weight gained since your mid-20s can have health implications. These factors may strongly influence your chances of developing the following diseases and conditions:

• Cardiovascular disease including heart attack and stroke
• Infertility
• Sleep apnea

Most adults gain on average 1-2 pounds each year. [6] Gaining weight as you age increases the chances of developing one or more chronic diseases.

• In the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, middle-aged women and men who gained 11 to 22 pounds after age 20 were up to three times more likely to develop heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and gallstones than those who gained five pounds or fewer. [7-11] Those who gained more than 22 pounds had an even larger risk of developing these diseases.
• Another analysis of Nurses’ Health Study data found that adult weight gain can increase the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, even after menopause. [12] Encouragingly, for women who had never used hormone replacement therapy, losing weight after menopause—and keeping it off—cut their risk of postmenopausal breast cancer in half.

Some studies have suggested that having overweight and obesity is associated with lower mortality than having normal weight. [13,14] But these findings may be explained by several methodological flaws:

• The main flaw in a systematic review and meta-analysis on the topic [14] was that the normal weight group, which showed an increased mortality risk compared to the overweight group, included more heavy smokers, patients with cancer or other diseases that cause weight loss, and elderly people suffering from frailty. There was no distinction made between these unhealthy normal weight people and lean healthy individuals. The groups with overweight and obesity did appear to have a lower mortality rate than this mix of healthy and very unhealthy normal-weighted individuals, and this flaw led to false conclusions that overweight and obesity carry no risk and may offer reduced mortality.
• Other large studies that accounted for this and other methodological issues have found that having overweight and obesity is associated with increased risk of mortality compared with having a normal weight. [15]

What Causes Weight Gain?

• Diet . The quantity and quality of food in your diet has a strong impact on weight.
• Genes . Some people are genetically predisposed to gain weight more easily than others or to store fat around the midsection. Genes do not have to become destiny, however, and studies suggest that eating a healthy diet, staying active, and avoiding unhealthy habits like drinking soda can prevent the genetic predisposition to risk for obesity. [16] Read more about genetic risk for obesity on the Obesity Prevention Source .
• Physical inactivity. Exercise has a host of health benefits, including reducing the chances of developing heart disease, some types of cancer, and other chronic diseases. [17] Physical activity is a key element of weight control and health.
• Stress . Chronic stress can lead to unhealthy eating habits, such as elevated cortisol levels causing cravings for “comfort” foods of highly processed snacks or sweets, having lower motivation to prepare balanced meals or even forgetting to eat, and disrupting sleep that can lead to higher intakes of caffeine or high-calorie sugary snacks to boost energy.
• Inadequate sleep. Research suggests that there’s a link between how much people sleep and how much they weigh. In general, children and adults who get too little sleep tend to weigh more than those who get enough sleep. [18,19]

The influence of our environments

Benefits of even modest weight loss.

If you have gained more than 25 pounds in adulthood, losing that weight may seem daunting. And when the extra weight doesn’t feel good, you may be tempted to start a drastic weight loss plan. But the good news is that even a modest weight loss of 5% of your current body weight is likely to produce several health benefits, including improvements in blood pressure, blood cholesterol, blood sugars, physical mobility, and quality of life. [20,21]

Tips to lose weight safely:

• Keep it slow and steady. People who lose weight gradually and steadily (about 1 to 2 pounds per week) are more successful at keeping weight off. [20] This allows the body to adjust to the change and can lower the risk of developing strong cravings and feelings of deprivation that often accompany more rapid weight loss.
• Include self-management and monitoring. This includes setting goals such as with the SMART acronym, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Start by creating 2-3 short-term SMART goals. Self-monitoring such as with daily or weekly food journaling or using behavior apps can provide insight and accountability to eating behaviors. This category also includes problem solving, such as having a plan for “relapses” if weight is regained due to stressful life changes, holidays, or job demands. [6]
• Create a support system. Research suggests that having frequent contact with others for support (e.g., trusted family member or friend, physician, health coach, registered dietitian, or a fellow friend or coworker on a similar healthy weight journey) can be valuable in providing encouragement and accountability. [6]
• Develop healthy eating patterns. Although some researchers have questioned the usefulness of energy balance (calories eaten versus calories expended), current evidence indicates that calorie reduction remains the most effective approach for weight control. There are many dietary strategies (e.g., high-carb low-fat vs. low-carb high-fat vs. intermittent fasting vs. a Mediterranean diet ), but research has not consistently shown greater weight loss with one plan over another in the long-term. The Healthy Eating Plate model that provides balanced nutrition and portion control is a good place to start.
• Practice mindfulness. Do you eat too fast or while distracted watching television or scrolling through your phone? Do you stress-eat or snack even when not hungry? Mindful eating addresses these behaviors that are associated with weight gain. Increasing awareness and appreciation of food can provide greater satisfaction, physically and mentally, that may help reduce overeating.
• Stay active. Exercise is one component in maintaining a healthy weight and preventing weight gain, but it also plays a key role in wellbeing and mental health. The National Weight Control Registry , which follows people who have lost and maintained a 30-pound loss for at least one year, shows that participants include about one hour of moderate-vigorous exercise daily such as brisk walking. However there is variation among participants, with some requiring more exercise and some less to keep the weight off. How much is needed will depend on one’s genes and lifestyle factors. Performing different types of exercises can expand the range of benefits even further.
• Prioritize self-care. In a rushed society with never-ending demands, taking care of our bodies can quickly fall to the bottom of our priority list. Dedicating time to care for one’s emotional, physical, and spiritual needs can promote a healthy weight. Many of the factors listed above are examples of self-care; others could be discovering a new hobby, practicing daily meditation, or allowing time to just do nothing. Self-care may help improve mood and a sense of wellbeing, and increase motivation and energy levels. It also cultivates self-compassion and resilience, as one learns to accept their mistakes and move on.

Should I try a health and nutrition app?

The number of health-related apps targeting behavior change has boomed, with more than 325,000 apps commercially available in 2017. [22] Health apps are often low-cost or free, and can be effective at-home monitoring tools that complement traditional care such as in-person visits to a doctor or dietitian. For example, if a healthcare provider advises a patient to lose weight to improve a chronic health condition, a nutritional app can provide tracking, accountability, and interaction that engages the patient until the next healthcare provider visit.

This may be especially useful for certain groups; one study found that rural men were more likely to successfully use health apps for weight loss/nutrition programs than to participate in face-to-face programs, due to cultural norms of self-reliance. [23] Meta-analyses show that people who use apps can experience greater weight loss, decreased waist circumference, and lower calorie intake compared with controls, in the short-term. [24,25] Other studies have shown benefits in improving nutrition behaviors, blood pressure, and blood cholesterol. [25] However, there are limitations to these meta-analyses that made comparisons difficult: the studies used different commercial apps with varying functions, and participants used the apps at varying levels (e.g., daily versus weekly). Also, most of the studies were of short duration at less than 6 months. [22,25] Generally the more often the app was used, the greater adherence there was to nutritional goals and achieving weight loss. [26] Unfortunately many of the studies suggested that app use generally declined over time. Still, health apps are worth a try for anyone starting a healthy lifestyle plan and for those who might not have easy access to other support systems.

• Komaroff M. For researchers on obesity: historical review of extra body weight definitions. Journal of obesity . 2016 Oct;2016.
• Nuttall FQ. Body mass index: obesity, BMI, and health: a critical review. Nutrition today . 2015 May;50(3):117.
• Hales CM, Gu Q, Ogden CL, Yanovski SZ. Use of prescription medications associated with weight gain among US adults, 1999-2018: A nationally representative survey. Obesity . 2022 Jan;30(1):229-39.
• Wharton S, Raiber L, Serodio KJ, Lee J, Christensen RA. Medications that cause weight gain and alternatives in Canada: a narrative review. Diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity: targets and therapy . 2018;11:427. Author disclosure: SW has previously received grants from CIHR and Mitacs, and has payment from Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, Janssen and Astra Zeneca for advisory work. SW and RAGC are currently working with Novo Nordisk for the completion of pharmaceutical manuscript(s).
• NIH/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Aim for a Healthy Weight . Accessed 5/2/2022.
• Hutfless S, Maruthur NM, Wilson RF, Gudzune KA, Brown R, Lau B, Fawole OA, Chaudhry ZW, Anderson CA, Segal JB. Strategies to prevent weight gain among adults . Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2013 Mar. Report No.: 13-EHC029-EF.
• Rimm EB, Stampfer MJ, Giovannucci E, Ascherio A, Spiegelman D, Colditz GA, Willett WC. Body size and fat distribution as predictors of coronary heart disease among middle-aged and older US men. American journal of epidemiology . 1995 Jun 15;141(12):1117-27.
• Willett WC, Manson JE, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Rosner B, Speizer FE, Hennekens CH. Weight, weight change, and coronary heart disease in women: risk within the’normal’weight range. JAMA . 1995 Feb 8;273(6):461-5.
• Colditz GA, Willett WC, Rotnitzky A, Manson JE. Weight gain as a risk factor for clinical diabetes mellitus in women. Annals of internal medicine . 1995 Apr 1;122(7):481-6.
• Huang Z, Willett WC, Manson JE, Rosner B, Stampfer MJ, Speizer FE, Colditz GA. Body weight, weight change, and risk for hypertension in women. Annals of internal medicine . 1998 Jan 15;128(2):81-8.
• Maclure KM, Hayes KC, Colditz GA, Stampfer MJ, Speizer FE, Willett WC. Weight, diet, and the risk of symptomatic gallstones in middle-aged women. New England Journal of Medicine . 1989 Aug 31;321(9):563-9.
• Eliassen AH, Colditz GA, Rosner B, Willett WC, Hankinson SE. Adult weight change and risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. JAMA . 2006 Jul 12;296(2):193-201.
• Flegal KM, Graubard BI, Williamson DF, Gail MH. Cause-Specific Excess Deaths Associated With Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity.  JAMA . 2007;298(17):2028–2037.
• Flegal KM, Kit BK, Orpana H, Graubard BI. Association of all-cause mortality with overweight and obesity using standard body mass index categories: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA . 2013 Jan 2;309(1):71-82.
• Di Angelantonio E, Bhupathiraju SN, Wormser D, Gao P, Kaptoge S, de Gonzalez AB, Cairns BJ, Huxley R, Jackson CL, Joshy G, Lewington S. Body-mass index and all-cause mortality: individual-participant-data meta-analysis of 239 prospective studies in four continents. The Lancet . 2016 Aug 20;388(10046):776-86.
• Qi Q, Chu AY, Kang JH, Jensen MK, Curhan GC, Pasquale LR, Ridker PM, Hunter DJ, Willett WC, Rimm EB, Chasman DI. Sugar-sweetened beverages and genetic risk of obesity. New England Journal of Medicine . 2012 Oct 11;367(15):1387-96.
• Haskell WL, Lee IM, Pate RR, Powell KE, Blair SN, Franklin BA, Macera CA, Heath GW, Thompson PD, Bauman A. Physical activity and public health: updated recommendation for adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Circulation . 2007;116(9):1081.
• Patel SR, Hu FB. Short sleep duration and weight gain: a systematic review. Obesity . 2008 Mar;16(3):643-53.
• Patel SR, Malhotra A, White DP, Gottlieb DJ, Hu FB. Association between reduced sleep and weight gain in women. American journal of epidemiology . 2006 Nov 15;164(10):947-54.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Losing Weight . Accessed 5/2/2022.
• Wing RR, Lang W, Wadden TA, Safford M, Knowler WC, Bertoni AG, Hill JO, Brancati FL, Peters A, Wagenknecht L, Look AHEAD Research Group. Benefits of modest weight loss in improving cardiovascular risk factors in overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes care . 2011 Jul 1;34(7):1481-6.
• Ang SM, Chen J, Liew JH, Johal J, Dan YY, Allman-Farinelli M, Lim SL. Efficacy of interventions that incorporate mobile apps in facilitating weight loss and health behavior change in the asian population: systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of medical Internet research . 2021 Nov 16;23(11):e28185.
• Eisenhauer CM, Brito F, Kupzyk K, Yoder A, Almeida F, Beller RJ, Miller J, Hageman PA. Mobile health assisted self-monitoring is acceptable for supporting weight loss in rural men: A pragmatic randomized controlled feasibility trial. BMC public health . 2021 Dec;21(1):1-6.
• El Khoury CF, Karavetian M, Halfens RJ, Crutzen R, Khoja L, Schols JM. The effects of dietary mobile apps on nutritional outcomes in adults with chronic diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics . 2019 Apr 1;119(4):626-51.
• Villinger K, Wahl DR, Boeing H, Schupp HT, Renner B. The effectiveness of app-based mobile interventions on nutrition behaviours and nutrition-related health outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity reviews . 2019 Oct;20(10):1465-84.
• Farage G, Simmons C, Kocak M, Klesges RC, Talcott GW, Richey P, Hare M, Johnson KC, Sen S, Krukowski R. Assessing the contribution of self-monitoring through a commercial weight loss app: MEdiation and predictive modeling study. JMIR mHealth and uHealth . 2021 Jul 14;9(7):e18741.

Last reviewed August 2022

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Healthy weight loss: a how-to guide

• Top 10 tips
• What to eat
• High protein
• Intermittent fasting
• Other diets
• Metabolic health
• Measuring success
• Breaking a plateau
• The long term

Everyone knows that to lose weight, you’re supposed to eat fewer calories and burn more. The problem is, eating less than you’d like is often easier said than done.

You might be able to deal with hunger for a few weeks or even months, but at some point, hunger wins. And then, the weight tends to come back.

What’s the best way to achieve weight loss in a healthy, sustainable way, without hunger or “white-knuckle” willpower?

The approaches that work tend to follow the same basic principles: eat the lowest calorie foods that fill you up, eliminate high-processed foods that don’t, and make sure you get essential nutrition.

It sounds easy. But why do so many of us struggle with healthy weight loss?

This guide will tell you the best ways to achieve healthy weight loss. It has our top weight loss tips, what to eat and what to avoid, the common mistakes you might be making, how to eat fewer calories, and much more.

But first, what is “healthy weight loss?”

Healthy weight loss starts with setting realistic goals . After that, we define healthy weight loss as mainly losing fat mass instead of lean body mass, improving your metabolic health, having a minimal decline in your resting metabolic rate, and making sure you can maintain your dietary lifestyle long-term.

If you’re struggling with your weight, it may not be your fault. The industrial food environment is stacked against you. The good news is that there are effective approaches to reach your best weight and improve your metabolic health long term! Here’s how.

Key takeaways

Top 10 weight loss tips

• Avoid eating carbs and fat together. This combination provides excessive calories with little to no nutritional value — think pizza, cookies, chips, donuts, etc. — and may increase cravings.
• Eat at least 30 grams of protein at most meals. Protein foods are the most satiating and nutrient-dense type of food.
• On a low carb approach, which is often a successful weight loss strategy, limit net carbs to less than 100 grams (or keep them as low as 20 grams per day, if you want to try a keto diet).
• Fill your plate with fibrous veggies. These provide abundant nutrients, high food volume, and relatively few calories.
• Add enough fat for taste and to enjoy your food, but not more than you need. Let’s be honest, fat tastes great! Taste is an essential part of long-term nutritional success. But too much fat can add calories you don’t need.
• If you’re hungry, start with adding more protein and vegetables. Again, these are the most satiating and nutritious food for the fewest calories.
• Find foods you enjoy that fit the above criteria. Check out our recipes here .
• Stay physically active. You don’t have to run marathons, but physical activity added to a healthy diet can help maintain fat loss while preserving muscle mass.
• Get adequate restorative sleep. Sleep like your health depends on it, because it does!
• Create an environment to promote your success. It isn’t just about knowing what to do. It’s also about creating the environment that will help you succeed. For example, removing tempting foods from your kitchen is just one great way to get started.

What foods to eat and what foods to avoid for healthy weight loss

For healthy weight loss, you want to make every calorie count.

But that doesn’t mean you have to count calories.

How is that possible? By focusing on the foods in the list below, you’ll ensure you are getting adequate nutrition, eating filling foods, and naturally decreasing your caloric intake.

We recommend focusing the bulk of your nutrition on “foods with the most nutrition per calorie”, consider portion control of foods with “moderate nutrition”, and reduce or eliminate foods with the least nutrition per calorie. Give it a try!

Foods with the most nutrition per calorie:

• Meat and poultry
• Non-starchy vegetables
• Dairy products like yogurt and cottage cheese
• Soy, beans, and lentils

Foods with moderate nutrition per calorie:

• Nuts and seeds
• Fatty processed meats like bacon
• Starchy vegetables
• Low-sugar fruits like berries, olives, and avocados
• Whole grains

Foods with the least nutrition per calorie

• Foods with high amounts of sugar and refined starches
• Sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit juice
• Beer and sweetened alcoholic beverages
• Pure added fats like oil and butter

Are you still hungry between meals, or are you looking for ways to add more protein to your diet? Take a look at our guide on high-protein snacks for weight loss. You can choose from hard-boiled eggs, a can of tuna, beef jerky, lupini beans, black soybeans, and more.

Why we recommend high protein for weight loss

Refined carbohydrates (sugar, bread, pasta, etc.) and refined fats (mostly oils) are high in energy density but lack nutritional value and are easier to overeat.

That’s why, for high nutrition eating, we recommend:

• Reduce your carbohydrate intake.
• Prioritize your protein and fibrous vegetables intake.
• Add just enough fat for taste and, if needed, extra calories.

How to get all essential nutrients

Fortunately, when you focus on whole-food proteins, the fatty acids and micronutrients are naturally present. And when you eat above-ground veggies, you automatically get fiber and additional micronutrients.

Based on calculations of the liver and kidney’s ability to safely handle protein, a 176-pound (80-kilo) person can theoretically consume a maximum of 365 grams of protein per day safely. 7 That’s 73% of a 2,000 calorie diet! It’s safe to say that most people won’t have to worry about eating too much protein.

Why we recommend low carb for weight loss

Low carb and keto diets also allow for adequate protein intake, plenty of above-ground fibrous veggies, and added fat for a complete, delicious, and sustainable healthy weight loss plan.

Based on the above data, plus practical considerations, we think carbohydrate reduction can play an essential role in healthy weight loss.

You can learn more about getting started eating low carb in our guides on a keto diet and a low carb diet for beginners.

Why we recommend intermittent fasting for weight loss

Intermittent fasting is an intentional avoidance of caloric intake for a set period. It can be as short as 12 hours (also called time-restricted eating) or as long as five or more days.

One reason that improved results were not seen in the time-restricted eating group may be that subjects ended up eating more calories during their eating window.

Fasting is not an excuse to binge eat or “make up for lost calories.”

Instead, fasting is meant to purposefully reduce caloric intake to preserve resting metabolic rate (the amount of energy you burn at rest), maintain lean muscle mass, and improve metabolic health. 15 In other words, intermittent fasting doesn’t just help with weight loss, but with healthy weight loss.

You can learn more about intermittent fasting in our intermittent fasting for beginners guide .

What other diets work for weight loss?

High-protein, low carb diets, which might also include short-term intermittent fasting, may be the best choice for many people to succeed with healthy weight loss.

Which diet is right for you? Only you can answer this question. The key is to find a pattern of eating that:

• Focuses on foods you like to eat
• Feels sustainable and enjoyable
• Helps you reduce your caloric intake
• Prevents excessive hunger
• Provides adequate nutrition

You may want to experiment with different diets to find the right one for you. And remember that it’s OK to change up your dietary approach as you age — and as your health, eating preferences, and lifestyle change.

How to eat fewer calories

That’s not what we are promoting.

Instead, we promote eating better. That means eating in a way that naturally allows you to reduce your calories without hunger. Does it sound too good to be true?

It doesn’t have to be.

These are all hyperpalatable foods that can make it difficult to control the amount you eat. 28 Overeating may have nothing to do with willpower or “being strong.” Instead, your brain may be telling you: This tastes great and has lots of calories for survival, I want more!

How to achieve metabolic health

However, you shouldn’t define health as merely avoiding disease. While that may be a great starting point, you don’t have to stop there!

Take waist circumference, for example. If you go by the definition used for metabolic syndrome, a normal waist circumference for a male is 39 inches (99 cm). Does that mean 39 inches is your end goal?

Maybe not! A waist size of 35 inches (88 cm) is likely much healthier for a 5’ 8” male than 39 inches. 31 Even though this may be your “end goal,” don’t expect to get there overnight. Continue to strive for slow and steady improvements over time, heading toward a more desirable result.

Just because medicine defines certain metrics as “normal” doesn’t mean they are your goal. Instead, focus on the lifestyles that get to the root cause of metabolic disease.

How can you achieve the goal of metabolic health? Here are our top eight tips.

8 tips to improve metabolic health

• Limit carbs — especially refined starches and sugars. Refined starches and sugars are the foods most likely to cause you to overeat calories and raise your blood sugar, insulin, blood pressure, and triglycerides. 32 A low carb approach may be the most effective diet for improving metabolic syndrome. 33 Low carb diets also successfully reduce hunger for most people. 34
• Eat adequate protein. Numerous studies demonstrate that, despite a slight temporary increase in insulin, higher protein diets improve insulin sensitivity over the long run and contribute to metabolic health. 35
• Moderate your fat intake. Excessive fat intake can raise triglycerides and worsen insulin resistance, especially if fat is combined with carbs or contributes to eating too many calories overall. 36 Eat enough fat to enjoy your meals, and eat fat that naturally comes with your food, such as the skin on your chicken or a naturally fatty rib eye. But don’t go out of your way to add unneeded fat to your foods.
• Don’t smoke. This should go without saying due to the strong connection of smoking to cancer and heart disease risk, but it also contributes to metabolic disease. 37
• Drink minimal to moderate amounts of alcohol. Alcohol provides empty calories that can affect liver health and undermine metabolic health. 38
• Manage stress and sleep well. Poorly controlled chronic stress and poor sleep can increase the likelihood of insulin resistance. 39
• Get regular physical activity. Muscles burn glucose. Building and using your muscles help promote insulin sensitivity and efficient energy utilization. 40
• Practice time-restricted eating or intermittent fasting. 41 Giving your body time without ingesting nutrients allows your insulin levels to decrease, improves insulin sensitivity, allows your body to learn to efficiently use fat for energy, and may even tap into autophagy. 42 The net result is improved metabolic health.

How to measure weight loss

The scale may tell you if your weight is going up or down. But healthy weight loss involves much more than the number on the scale.

Consider trying any of these three techniques in addition to using the scale:

• Follow your waist measurement and your waist-to-height ratio. All you need is a tape measure. If your weight is the same on the scale, but your waist is getting smaller, that is still a fantastic healthy fat loss victory! As we detail in our guide on losing belly fat , waist circumference is one of the best measurements to predict metabolic health and track healthy weight loss. 44
• How do your clothes fit? If you don’t have a tape measure, all you have to do is put on your (non-stretchy) pants. It doesn’t get much easier than that. Are your pants looser? That means your waist is getting smaller. If you are doing resistance training, you might also find that your arms and legs look more toned. That is a good sign that you are building muscle mass.
• Test your body composition. This requires additional tools — either a bioimpedance scale or a more detailed assessment with a DEXA scan or equivalent measuring device. A DEXA scan will not only tell you if your weight is changing, but it will also quantify how much weight loss was fat mass, lean body mass, and visceral fat. As a bonus, you also can follow your bone density to ensure maintaining strong bones is part of your healthy weight loss progress.

How to break weight loss plateaus

But it helps to have a plan for when the plateaus come. Here are the eight best tips for helping you to overcome a plateau and get back on track with healthy weight loss.

Top 8 tips for breaking a weight loss plateau 45

• Are you eating enough protein? Take a couple of days to measure all of the protein you eat and count every gram. Yes, it can be a hassle, but it can also be illuminating. You may think you are eating “plenty of protein,” only to find out you’re actually getting just 15% of your calories from protein. If that’s the case, the best tip for breaking your stall is to increase your protein intake.
• Are you eating enough fibrous vegetables? Fibrous vegetables are one of the best ways to increase nutrients for the minimum number of calories, increase stomach fullness, and slow gastric emptying. 46 Again, keeping track of your intake for a couple of days can help guide you in increasing your consumption of fiber-filled veggies. Aim for at least four cups per day.
• Are you limiting your non-nutrient calories? After increasing your protein and fiber-filled vegetables, what’s left? It’s usually non-nutrient calories — the extra dose of cream or butter, the rice that “comes with” your meal, the sugary salad dressing that seems so innocent. Or maybe it’s the ritual glass of wine with dinner. Experiencing a plateau is the perfect time to take stock of your non-nutrient calories and cut them in half or cut them out completely if you can.
• Are you struggling with cravings or snacking? Usually, addressing protein and fibrous vegetables can help cut down on snacking and cravings. However, if you still find yourself snacking, first make sure you are eating high-protein snacks . Next, make sure you’re snacking for real hunger and not boredom or routine. Finally, try eliminating non-nutritive sweeteners that can stimulate cravings, such as erythritol, stevia, and other sweet additives. 47
• How are you sleeping? Plateaus aren’t always about what you eat. Not only can poor sleep negatively affect your food choices during the day, but lack of sleep can also change your hormonal environment, making it nearly impossible to lose weight. 48 Make sure you prioritize good sleep hygiene. It’s easy to talk about but harder to do. Eliminate screens an hour before bed. Keep a steady sleep-wake routine. Make sure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet. Kick the kids and dogs out of your bed. You can keep your spouse, but only if their snoring doesn’t keep you up!
• Are you exercising? Exercise by itself is not great for weight loss. However, regular physical activity can help maintain weight loss and break plateaus when combined with healthy eating. Just make sure your exercise helps build muscle and doesn’t leave you hungry and craving food. For instance, you may find 20 minutes of resistance training more effective than 45 minutes on a treadmill.
• Have you tried time-restricted eating or intermittent fasting? For some, spacing out the timing between meals can naturally reduce caloric intake and allow for lower insulin levels. The combination may be enough to break a weight loss plateau.

Read even more in our detailed guide on tips to break a weight loss stall .

Maintaining weight loss long term

Authors have written hundreds of books on tips to maintain beneficial behavior change, and most of the tips aren’t a secret. The problem is when the recommendations become more items on your “to-do” list, adding chores to your routine that take time and energy you don’t have to give.

If that’s the case, don’t let yourself get overwhelmed. Pick one or two tips that resonate most with you, and stop there. Just because a tip made the list doesn’t mean you have to do it. The list is merely a collection of suggestions to try and see what works best for you.

Top tips for long-term success

• Connect with your why, to keep your motivation for maintaining your weight loss front and center.
• Create accountability with a partner, a coach, an app, or a calendar.
• Control your environment. Don’t allow temptations in your house or workplace.
• See your new way of eating as a lifestyle, not a diet. It isn’t something you “do.” It’s something you “are.” The language you use can make all the difference.
• Keep it enjoyable. Find recipes you love that fit within your eating pattern.
• Celebrate small successes on your way to bigger successes.
• Realize that you won’t be perfect, and that’s OK. Minor detours don’t have to derail you. Anticipate roadblocks and have a plan to get past them.
• Incorporate smart strategies for optimizing your sleep, stress management, and physical activity. Better habits in these areas can help with long-term, healthy weight maintenance.

Sample meals and meal plans

Keto for beginners

Guide A keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet. You eat fewer carbs and replace it with fat, resulting in a state called ketosis. Get started on keto with delicious recipes, amazing meal plans, health advice, and inspiring videos to help you succeed.

Low carb for beginners

Guide Want to try a low carb diet for weight loss or health? In this top low carb guide, we show you what you need to get started: what to eat, what to avoid and how to avoid side effects. Get delicious low carb recipes and meal plans.

High-protein diet

Guide Our guide helps you understand what a high-protein diet is and why it might help you lose weight and improve your health.

Weight loss

IELTS essays are usually about current topics of controversy, and the declining health of many nations is certainly of concern to many countries at the present time.

This essay asks you to examine both sides of an issue and to give your opinion.

This means that you must look at both the arguments that are presented. In this case, these are:

1. It is the responsibility of individuals to take care of their own health and diet. 2. Governments should make sure that their citizens have a healthy diet.

You must of course also give your opinion.

IELTS Diet and Health Essay

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge.

Write at least 250 words.

Diet and Health Essay Model Answer

An increasing concern for many governments around the world is the declining health of their citizens due to a poor diet. While some people believe governments should be responsible for improving the health of their nation, others believe it is up to the individual. This essay will examine both sides of the argument.

There is no doubt that individuals must take some responsibility for their diet and health. The argument to support this is the fact that adults have free will and make their own choices about what they eat and the exercise that they do. Children are also becoming less healthy. However, their parents are the ones who provide their evening meals so it is their responsibility to ensure these meals are nutritious and encourage them to avoid junk food and sugary snacks during the day.

Despite these arguments, there is also a case for advocating the intervention of the state. People these days often have little choice but to depend on fast food or ready meals that are high in sugar, salt and fat due to the pressures of work. Governments could regulate the ingredients of such food. Some governments also spend huge amounts of tax money on treating health problems of their citizens in hospitals. It would be logical to spend this on preventative measures such as campaigns to encourage exercise and a good diet.

Having considered both sides of the issue, I would argue that although individuals must take ultimate responsibility for what they eat, governments also have a role to play as only they can regulate the food supply, which openly encourages a poor diet. It is only through this combination that we can improve people’s health.

(282 Words)

The IELTS diet and health essay has a number of good points which would means it would score highly in the test.

The introduction clearly introduces the topic and sets out both sides of the issue. There is then a clear thesis statement to explain what the essay will do:

This essay will examine both sides of the argument.

Coherence and cohesion are evident from the topic sentences which make the subject of each paragraph very clear:

There is no doubt that individuals must take some responsibility for their diet and health. Despite these arguments, there is also a case for advocating the intervention of the state.

Transitional phrases and words also guide the reader through the essay. For example:

The argument to support this is... Children are also becoming less healthy. However , their parents... Despite these arguments , there is also ... Some governments also spend... Having considered both sides of the issue,

The conclusion summarises the writers opinion very clearly. It is always important to make it very clear what your opinion is if it is an opinion essay (you could put your opinion in the introduction too if you wish).

The grammar and vocabulary are appropriate, with a mix of complex sentences and topic related vocabulary.

The content of the essay is also appropriate. It clearly addresses both opinions and provides a number of points to support each argument. The ideas are clearly explained and will not cause any misunderstanding for someone reading the essay.

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Weight Loss — Weight Loss: the Role of Healthy Eating and Exercising

Weight Loss: The Role of Healthy Eating and Exercising

• Categories: Healthy Food Physical Exercise Weight Loss

About this sample

Words: 886 |

Published: Apr 8, 2022

Words: 886 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Works Cited

• Aaron E. Carroll. “To Lose Weight, Eating Less Is Far More Important Than Exercising More”. The Upshot, 15 June 2015, www.nytimes.com. Accessed 2 July 2018.
• Arlene Semeco. “The Top Ten Benefits of Regular Exercise”. Health Line, 10 February 2017, www.healthline.com. Accessed 2 July 2018.
• Kate Bratskeir. “Exercise Or Diet? One Is More Important For Weight Loss”. Wellness, 4 February 2016, huffingtonpost.com. Accessed 3 July 2018.
• Lewis Humphries. “6 Reasons Why Diet Is More Important Than Exercising For Weight Loss”. Lifehack, July 2016, www.lifehack.org. Accessed 4 July 2018.
• UsNews. Health.usnews.com. Accessed 5 July 2018.

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Diet for One? Scientists Stalk the Dream of Personalized Nutrition

No single food regimen works for everyone. A new study is the most comprehensive effort yet to understand why.

By Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley

A decade ago, spurred by the success of the Human Genome Project and the affordability of genetic sequencing, scientists began to explore the promise of “nutrigenomics.” Could personalized nutrition, informed by knowledge of an individual’s DNA, help prevent and even treat diet-related diseases?

The results of early studies from Harvard , Stanford and elsewhere were compelling: Genetic differences seemed to predispose individuals to lose different amounts of weight on different types of diets. A multimillion-dollar industry soon sprang up, premised on marketing DNA-based diets. But subsequent research has failed to show any statistically significant difference in weight loss between overweight people who “eat right for their genotype” and those who do not.

In fact, the effect of genes on obesity has been hard to tease out; various studies put the figure at anywhere from 35 to 85 percent. Nutritionists have long observed that no one weight-loss strategy works for everyone, and that individuals show striking differences in their responses to different diets. What, then, explains the large variation in individual metabolism?

Last year, Tim Spector and Sarah Berry, epidemiologists at King’s College, London, and Dr. Andrew Chan, of Harvard Medical School, began an ambitious new search for the answer. Their new study, called Predict, is the world’s largest and most comprehensive experiment to look at individual responses to food.

Their preliminary results, presented on Monday at the American Society for Nutrition’s annual conference, documented, for the first time, substantial and surprising variations in how well participants processed fats and carbohydrates, even among identical twins. How efficiently a person metabolized one macronutrient was no predictor of how that person might respond to another.

“We are getting closer to being able to provide guidance for each person for what their ideal diet should be,” said Dr. Eric Topol, a geneticist at the Scripps Research Translational Institute in La Jolla, Calif., who was not affiliated with the study. “We’re not there yet, but the new study is another major milestone to get us there.”

For decades Dr. Spector has been exploring the causes of individual variation in disease risk, including diet-related ailments. In 1992, he set up TwinsUK, a research registry that now includes more than 13,000 identical and fraternal twins. Based on the twins, he concluded that genes contributed 70 percent of an individual’s risk for obesity, on average.

Intrigued, he began a series of studies to tease out which factors influenced the remaining 30 percent. In 2014, he began the British Gut project, a crowdsourced effort to understand the diversity of gut microbes , their response to different dietary interventions and their effect on weight. Among his registry of twins, he noticed, even identical pairs shared only about 50 percent of their gut bacteria.

Dr. Spector then started Predict to explore how variations in individual responses to fats and carbohydrates might contribute to obesity. Eating foods that contain fats and carbohydrates causes glucose, insulin and triglyceride levels in the blood to rise and fall; spikes that are too high, too prolonged and too frequent are associated with inflammation, weight gain, heart disease and diabetes.

The study included 700 identical twins, 300 individual British volunteers and 100 subjects from the United States, and gathered data on almost everything that can affect metabolism: gut microbiota, sleep duration, exercise, body fat composition and more. These initial results, however, analyzed only the rise and fall of glucose, insulin and triglyceride levels in the blood after participants had eaten standardized meals.

Listen to an episode of Gastropod, the podcast that looks at food through the lens of science and history, as Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley take listeners along on their journey as participants in the Predict study.

The team concluded that genes play a limited role in how a person processes fats and carbohydrates. Among identical twins, only about half of the amount and duration of an individual’s post-meal blood glucose level could be attributed to genetic influence — and less than 30 percent with regard to insulin and triglyceride response. The more important factors in how our bodies metabolize food, it seems, are environmental: sleep, stress, exercise and the diversity and population of our individual gut microbiome.

“That is really exciting for scientists and individuals,” Dr. Berry said. “It has shown us how much is not genetic and therefore modifiable.”

She noted that the proportion of fats and carbohydrates in a meal explained less than 40 percent of an individual’s response to that food. That finding “reinforces the message that we should focus on whole lifestyle approaches rather than individual foods and nutrients,” she said.

The full data set will take Dr. Spector and his extended team of colleagues — some 40 scientists around the world — years to analyze, even with the help of machine learning. And they have already begun follow-up studies to tease out the complex relationships among factors.

But it was already possible to glean individual insights, he said. After eating potato chips, one subject repeatedly experienced a triglyceride peak six times higher than that of an identical twin. That degree of awareness could help steer the chip-sensitive twin toward a lower-fat snack, Dr. Spector said.

“We are omnivores and we do need a diverse diet,” he said. “But if you can just swap some foods around so that you have exactly the same calories and enjoyment but a lower peak either in glucose or in lipids, then you’re going to put on less weight and be healthier long term.”

Jennie Brand-Miller, a professor of human nutrition at the University of Sydney in Australia, who was not involved with Predict, said that individualized nutrition advice, rather than standard dietary guidelines based on population-wide averages, could significantly improve public health.

“I think the one-size-fits-all nutrition guideline is antiquated,” Dr. Brand-Miller said. She noted that one in three people have a poor metabolic response to sugar; identifying those individuals, and then teaching them how to avoid spikes in blood glucose, could reduce their odds of later developing diabetes by as much as 40 percent.

The standard nutrition guidelines are built on data from questionnaires that ask people how frequently they ate certain foods in the past year. That approach provides useful data about overall trends, but it also is flawed: Respondents are notoriously bad at recalling their food choices, and the averaged data cannot offer personalized guidance.

A more detailed view of our metabolic differences has come only recently, with the advent of affordable machine learning, wearable sensors and genetic sequencing. The result has been a surge of interest in the field. In February, another large-scale, multiyear personalized nutrition study was started at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, in Lausanne.

“This research is fascinating and it’s important,” said Tim Caulfield, who researches health law and policy at the University of Alberta in Canada. Nonetheless, “if history tells us anything, it tells us that it’s unlikely that this is going to revolutionize nutrition.”

For one thing, he said, the basic parameters of a healthy diet are already well known: plenty of whole grains, pulses, dark leafy greens and other vegetables, enough healthy oils and seafood, and very little red meat or refined carbohydrates. The problem is not that the guidelines are wrong or insufficiently personalized, Mr. Caulfield said, but that people are not following them.

Even the focus on a person’s food choices or individual metabolism can distract from other significant contributors to the obesity epidemic, he said: “It is a fantastically complex issue that has to do with our built environment, with socioeconomics, with our food environment, with marketing, and with our activity levels — so many things.”

As a study, Predict is still in its early days; whatever individualized recommendations it might provide, there is no evidence yet that they can improve a person’s health any better than standard dietary guidelines can. Nonetheless, its scope and rigor are novel.

“It will require further validation, and doesn’t equate with preventing heart disease or cancer or other outcomes,” Dr. Topol said. “But it’s still important if we’re ever going to get to the ‘food as medicine’ ideal.”

Participating in the study can be grueling. Subjects are first put through an extensive battery of tests, including hourly blood draws and scans of their body fat and bone mass, in a hospital setting. Then, for two weeks, they must consume a series of set “meals” — a selection of muffins containing different combinations of fat, carbohydrate and protein, along with fiber bars, glucose drinks and protein shakes. Any other food or beverage consumed must be weighed and logged.

Each participant wears a continuous glucose monitor and an accelerometer to measure activity levels and sleep, and provides samples of saliva, urine, feces and blood — everything but tears.

That is only the start of Dr. Spector’s ambitions. He has already started Predict Plus, with some of the “super-loggers” from the first study, and is recruiting participants for an expanded version of the original study, called Predict Two. The research is supported by the Wellcome Trust and the United Kingdom’s National Institute for Health Research.

With entrepreneurs, Dr. Spector also has started a for-profit company, Zoe, with the hope of creating an app that would offer users individualized nutrition advice about how to eat and, ultimately, how their bodies might respond to foods they have not yet tried.

But for now, Mr. Caulfield has some very low-tech advice for anyone in search of personalized nutrition: Look at the bathroom scale. “That number is way more predictive of future health than most of the information you can get from these direct-to-consumer companies,” he said.

A Guide to Better Nutrition

Ultraprocessed foods are clearly linked to poor health. But scientists are only beginning to understand why .

Calorie restriction and intermittent fasting both increase longevity in animals, aging experts say. Here’s what that means for you .

A viral TikTok trend touts “Oatzempic,” a half cup of rolled oats with a cup of water and the juice of half a lime, as a weight-loss hack. We asked the experts if there was anything to it .

Sodium is everywhere in our diets. But how much salt is too much ?

Patients were told for years that cutting calories would ease the symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome. But research suggests dieting may not help at all .

Healthy Diet Essay

Consuming a healthy diet throughout a person’s life helps prevent malnutrition in all its forms, as well as a range of diet-related non-communicable diseases and conditions. But the increased consumption of processed food, rapid urbanisation and changing lifestyles have led to a shift in dietary patterns. People now consume fast food and do not eat enough fibre-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains. So, to help students understand the importance of a healthy diet, we have provided a “Healthy Diet” essay.

Students can also go through the list of CBSE Essays on different topics. It will help them to improve their writing skills and also increase their scores on the English exam. Moreover, they can participate in different essay writing competitions which are conducted at the school level.

500+ Words Healthy Diet Essay

A healthy diet consists of simple, natural and/or well-cooked foods which promote health and protect us from diseases. It keeps our organ systems functioning well. The diet that we consume is decided by our socio-cultural norms, lifestyle patterns and the type of activities we are engaged in. A healthy diet includes nutrition, nutrients, food groups, a balanced diet and special dietary requirements.

Balanced Diet

A diet that contains all the essential nutrients like proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and vitamins in the proportion required for the normal growth and development of the body is called a balanced diet. The important components of a balanced diet are cereals, pulses, milk, fruits and vegetables, fats and oil. A balanced diet constitutes a healthy diet. Thus, we all should try to follow a balanced diet.

Role of Nutrients

Nutrients that we obtain through food have vital effects on physical growth and development. It also helps in maintaining normal body function, physical activity and health. Nutritious food is thus needed to sustain life and activity. A healthy diet must provide all essential nutrients in the required amounts. Requirements for essential nutrients vary with age, gender, physiological status and physical activity. Dietary intakes lower or higher than the body requirements can lead to undernutrition or overnutrition, respectively.

Eating too little food during certain significant periods of life such as infancy, childhood, adolescence, pregnancy and lactation and eating too much at any age can lead to harmful consequences. An adequate diet, providing all nutrients, is needed throughout our lives. Eating a variety of foods from each food group is crucial for supplying the individual with all the essential nutrients that the body needs, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and water.

Special Dietary Requirements

The amount of food or nutrients required by a person in a day depends upon the need for energy. These needs are directly related to age and physical activity. During the rapid growth years, i.e. 12–22 years for boys and 12–18 years for girls, there is a gradual increase in daily food requirements. But as we grow old, our daily need for energy decreases. The amount of energy required by people engaged in low, moderate or high levels of physical activity differs. A sports person always needs to consume more calories than a non-sports person. Similarly, the dietary needs of a woman during pregnancy and lactation are higher.

Before we eat, we should think about what goes on our plate, cup, or bowl. Foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean protein foods should be part of our diet. These contain the nutrients that we need to maintain a heart-healthy eating plan. Eating a healthy diet will keep our body fit, healthy and free from all kinds of diseases. With a healthy body and mind, we can enjoy our life and can achieve whatever we want in our life.

Students must have found the “Healthy Diet” essay useful for improving their essay writing skills. They can get the study material and the latest updates on CBSE/ICSE/State Board/Competitive Exams at BYJU’S.

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62 Weight Loss Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best weight loss topic ideas & essay examples, 🎓 good research topics about weight loss, ⭐ simple & easy weight loss essay titles.

• Dieting: Losing Weight Without Losing Your Mind It is, therefore, important to look for information on the health consequences of diabetes in order to promote determination and perseverance to lose weight.
• Obesity and Weight Loss Strategies The obesity epidemic is among the most urgent healthcare issues in the United States and worldwide. Therefore, the list of potential negative side-effects of the OTC weight loss products contradicts the client’s initial expectations and […]
• Weight Loss in an Elderly Male Polypharmacy becomes a challenge and stress for Roy, which leads to loss of weight. Dysgeusia predisposes Roy to a distorted taste of food, leading to a disorder that emanates from foul, salty, and metallic perceptions.
• Weight Loss in Breastfeeding Babies: Definition of Medical Diagnosis Weight loss may occur in newborns within the first week of their lives to up to 10%, probably because the baby is not getting enough milk, the mother not producing enough milk, or as a […]
• Effects of Diet and Physical Activity on Weight Loss and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Severely Obese Adults The study wanted to establish whether the outcomes of the African American people differed from those of white people. In addition, the human ethics committee of the university evaluated and endorsed the study.
• Health Promotion Weight Loss: How to Change People Behaviors and How to Keep Them Motivated to Lose Weight For example, when advising people on losing weight one should try to talk to them to get to details about their eating habits and whether they know how risky those are habits to their lives.
• Marketing Factors in Weight Loss Industry The purpose of this paper is to identify marketing environmental factors that influence products in the weight loss and nutrition industry.
• Biopsychology: Weight Loss Program and Mama Wawa Whatever the reasons are, one requires a program that would be of assistance in the weight reduction and to maintain it as well.
• Weight Loss Program: Losing Part of an Overweight A person should also be emotionally ready to reduce weight and have a continuous commitment to the program of weight loss.
• Reasons for Losing Weight Analysis Losing excessive weight produces several long-term benefits in the body of the individual by reducing the number of potential risks to health and life.
• Oat Chocolate Cookies Recipe for Weight Loss Diet The association of cookies with weight gain and obesity has led to a significant decline in the consumption of cookies over the last few years. The role of oats in the recipe is to enrich […]
• The UAE Population: Xenical and Weight Loss The main variables observed in this study will be the following: the efficiency of Xenical for weight loss in the UAE populations and the preferences linked to the use of Xenical compared to other medications […]
• Xenical and Weight Loss in the UAE Population The hypotheses are the following: The effectiveness of Xenical is seen as sufficient by the population of the UAE. The effectiveness of Xenical is seen as insufficient by the same population.
• The Gulf Cooperation Council: Weight Loss Surgeries The paper carried analysis of descriptive statistics and graphs for the number of weight loss surgeries in the GCC. The results show that there was a significant increase in the number of weight loss surgeries […]
• Exercise vs. Diet for Weight Loss The starting point of their research is formulated in the following hypothesis: insufficient physical activity or lack thereof is not a contributor to the global problem of obesity.
• Psychological Implications of Weight Loss Surgery Most people hardly prepare themselves for the psychological hurdles that may arise as a result of the new body that they acquire soon after the weight loss surgery. Most people who have undergone the weight […]
• Obesity and Weight Loss: Exercising and Dieting However, the reality is that they also had once crossed the threshold of the gym for the first time and managed to overcome anxiety.
• The Weight Loss Science and the Recommended Procedures Weight loss is the act of engaging in a number of activities, including body exercises and dieting, in a bid to reduce body mass.
• Healthy Foods and Obesity: Unhealthy Weight Loss Methods and Media Weight Loss Campaigns This is ironical bearing in mind the amount of information in the media encouraging people to adopt healthy eating habit in effect to contain the increase of obesity.
• Weight Loss Systems: The Dietary Approaches to Weight Loss Although a balance of a check on the causes of obesity is required for a person to lose weight, this paper focuses on the dietary approaches to weight loss.
• Weight Loss Alternatives: Viable Options for Losing That Extra Weight Since the onset of this century, one of the most prevalent problems that has afflicted the society, especially in the developed countries, is that of obesity.
• Diabetic and Elder Patients Experience Superior Cardiovascular Benefits After Gastric Bypass Induced Weight Loss
• Common Fat and Weight Loss Myths
• Family Functioning and Weight Loss in a Sample of African Americans and Whites
• Health and Social Care: Bariatric Surgery Weight Loss Successes
• Dangerous Weight Loss Drugs vs. Safer Alternatives
• Chemistry and Weight Loss Drugs
• Dieting and Weight Loss Drugs
• Fad Diet Programs and Its Effects – Nourishment, Obesity, Weight Loss Plans
• Diet Pills and Weight Loss Supplements
• Essential Weight Loss Guides on How You Lose Poundage Fast
• Cardiovascular Risks and Benefits of Medications Used for Weight Loss
• Herbal Remedies Used for Weight Loss
• Eating Wisely and Exercise Plan For Weight Loss
• Food Cue Reactivity and the Brain-Heart Axis During Cognitive Stress
• Disturbing New Study About Obesity and Weight Loss
• Eating Habits for Effortless Weight Loss
• Body Image and Body Avoidance Nine Years After Bariatric Surgery and Conventional Weight Loss Treatment
• Advertisement for the Weight Loss Product
• Excessive Weight Loss Teenage Girls
• America’s Obsession With Weight Loss and Body Image
• Chinese Diet Green Tea for Weight Loss
• Behavior Modification and Weight Loss
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Weight Loss
• Anorexia Nervosa: Self Starvation and Dramatic Weight Loss
• Calorie Restriction for Weight Loss
• Aged and Weight Loss Surgery
• Diet Soda and Its Effect on Your Weight Loss Program
• Fast and Lasting Weight Loss: Fast Weight Loss for Special Occasions
• Diet and Fitness Winning Tactics for Weight Loss
• Aerobic Exercise for Weight Loss
• Exercise Program for Weight Loss Strength and Vitality
• Distribution and Disavowal: Managing the Parental Stigma of Children’s Weight and Weight Loss
• Encouraging Healthy Living Without the Emphasis on Weight Loss as the Main Purpose of Living Healthy
• Abdominal Exercise and Weight Loss
• Cosmetic and Weight Loss Surgery
• Eating Healthy and Weight Loss While Breastfeeding
• Busy Moms and Weight Loss Challenge
• Exercise and Weight Loss: The Science of Preserving Muscle Mass
• Different Methods for Weight Loss
• Chromium Picolinate and Weight Loss
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, March 2). 62 Weight Loss Essay Topic Ideas & Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/weight-loss-essay-topics/

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