Sorting Through the Diet Noise: Making Healthy Food Choices

by Rachel Guyer

November 2024

With 2025 only a few months away, expect an increase in the "diet noise" in the media because, according to a popular American business magazine, about one third of New Year's resolutions will be about improving diet.

But what is a healthy diet? Science has proven over and over that diet can have a big impact on overall health, like diets that control sugary foods to ward off diabetes or low fat and cholesterol diets to help prevent blocked arteries that cause heart attacks. A balanced diet has also been shown to increase energy levels and lead to a longer life.

Knowing that a quick search on any social media platform can lead to posts about "hormone balancing diets," how-to guides for a "juice cleanse," and more than one site promoting a supplement to lose weight, here are some tips that can sort helpful from harmful diets.

The first tip relates to "fad diets." Although there can be short-term gain, long-term they're often hard to stick to and there's little to no science that shows that they're safe over time. In fact, many of these diets don't contain the nutritional requirements needed for the body to function normally and can actually be harmful to patients with certain medical conditions.

Maybe seeming like common sense, another tip is to provide this reminder: Research shows that the ability to stick to a healthy diet comes from occasionally allowing a favorite but unhealthy food.

Despite all the benefits of a healthy diet, eating healthy can be difficult for Stark County residents. For starters, if a change to more fresh foods is a goal, transportation and time can be a barrier since, according to a 2019 US Department of Agriculture (USDA) report, nearly 70% of Stark County's rural residents live more than 10 miles from a grocery store – with Stark County joining 25 other North Dakota counties where 80% of rural residents live more than 10 miles from a grocery store.

Also, fresh foods can be more expensive. Canned or frozen prepackaged counterparts can be easier on the wallet.

Where can someone go to find information about what is and isn't in a healthy diet? The free online MyPlate tool from the USDA can be accessed on a home computer or the local library. The MyPlate quiz asks about personal wellness goals, barriers to healthy eating, and current diet to provide personalized resources. The USDA and another federal health agency also encourage people to Make Every Bite Count with their dietary guidelines, which can also be accessed online. Online cooking classes, such as the ones offered by the American Diabetes Association, are also great for finding healthy recipes to make at home.

The last tip for sorting through the "diet noise" is to consider working with a health care provider since dietary changes can sometimes affect prescription medications and medical conditions.

In summary, it's never too late to start making changes towards a healthier diet, and the resources provided here may be a great place to start.

About the Author

Rachel Guyer is a third-year medical student at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences. She was selected as one of the Dickinson participants for the school's ROME program, or Rural Opportunities in Medical Education. Part of the ROME program teaches student doctors how rural newspapers can be partners for disseminating health information. The information presented here is not intended for diagnosis or treatment and should not be used in place of previous medical advice provided by a licensed provider.