Public health messaging is often a difficult tightrope walk (see: COVID-19) and that is especially true for anything related to food—a matter of profound importance and intense public interest, about which science can’t seem to make up its mind. Nutrition scientists and other food-and-health experts have for years been feeding the public conflicting and muddled advice about food, diet and health. Is it a good idea to count calories, avoid carbs, load up on meat? Is it best to eat only natural foods, avoid gluten, go vegan? Science can’t provide definitive answers.
It’s no wonder, then, that the recent wave of seemingly magical cures and miracle regimens. Diets that emphasize intermittent fasting, nurturing good gut bacteria and cutting out carbs have surged in popularity, but their basis in science is sketchy.
No wonder scientists and clinicians can’t agree on the best approach to a healthy diet. And even if they did, would it have much of an effect on Americans’ health? Haunting the entire endeavor of improving the public’s diet is the fact that most people simply can’t, or won’t, make the long-term eating changes that experts recommend.
