Western Diet Culture

The "Western diet" -- nicknamed the "meat 'n' sweet" diet and typically consumed by Americans and other people in Western culture -- is heavy in meat, processed foods, sugar and fat. Increasingly, medical research indicates that if you regularly eat Western diet foods, you will also be at high risk for so-called Western diseases, such as diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity and cancer. The good news is many of these "diseases of affluence" linked to bad diet can be prevented changing our habits.

History

Since the Industrial Revolution around the 18th and 19th centuries, many Westerners have moved out of the fields and into the cities. Now that we live far away from our food, we have increased our dependence processed food so it can last a long time and cross great distance without going bad. Scientists and nutritionists are starting to ask if processing these foods is stripping them of too much nutritional value and contributing to current health problems.

Nutrition vs. Tradition

Around the 1960s, Americans started to seriously study "nutritionism" to figure out how to eat right. We have been told something different every year since, from saying "yes" to margarine, then "no" to fat and "yes" to rice but "no" to carbs and "yes" to protein, and so on. By now the average American feels very confused about what to eat, but since the mid-2000s there has been a move toward more traditional "whole foods" that are fresh and unprocessed.

Western Diseases

When we hear about "Western diseases" such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity and cancer, it doesn't mean only Western people get them. Western disease means the kinds of diseases that show up after eating the Western diet. For example, in World War II, when meat, dairy, and sugar were scarce and people ate less of it, heart disease rates in America decreased. And when people in other countries start eating more like Westerners, there tends to be an increase in these "diseases of affluence".

Natural Foods

Writer Michael Pollan gives us simple advice: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." It means you shouldn't be scared to eat, but you should eat something that looks as if it came from a farm, not a laboratory. You don't need to become a vegetarian, just make meat more of an accent to your meal, not the main course. Eat more fruits and vegetables, both because they're good for you but because you'll be eating less of what's bad for you.

Recommendation

Every day there's a new study to tell you what to eat and what to avoid. It's a good idea to stay current, but also use some common sense and avoid following rash fad diets. When in doubt, consult your doctor.