What if there was one sweet answer to solve our health and weight problems?
There is, depending on who you ask. They just rarely tend to match up.
There are the sugar-quitting proselytisers who promise life-changing effects. Equally passionate are the paleos, the ketos, the gluten-free riders, the carb-loaders, the balance-acts, the low-fatists, the green juicers, the breatharians, the bone-brotharians and that guy who ate only spuds for a year.
If there was a single good answer, presumably the diet industry in Australia wouldn't be worth $635 million (upwards of $580 billion worldwide).
Thankfully, there is no one way to good health (though it is certainly not going to be found in powder or 'diet' form) and more people are starting to cotton on to this. Nor does good health require being extreme.
In the latest US News diet rankings, the bottom three diets, out of 38 different plans, were the restrictive Whole 30 ("No independent research. Nonsensical claims. Extreme. Restrictive."), Dukan diet ("The high amount of protein could lead to long-term health problems, and shutting out entire food groups poses a risk of nutritional deficiencies. Possible side effects include lethargy, bad breath and constipation.") and Paleo ("The experts couldn't accept that entire food groups, like dairy and grains, are excluded, making it hard for dieters to get all the nutrients they need.").
"Diets that do the best encourage moderation and balance," Angela Haupt, assistant managing editor of health at US News and World Reports, told TODAY.
It is lucky then that many experts believe people are starting to move away from extremes and towards balance - towards "healthy-ish", a concept the January issue of Bon Appetit is dedicated to (including a range of 'healthy-ish' suggestions, like using meat as a condiment and spicing up plain dishes with sauce).
"We're not ascetic," writes Bon Appetit's editor, Adam Rapoport. "Instead we think about what we eat, and when and why we eat it. We indulge when the situation arises... and we try to eat smart other times."
It is a gently, gently approach that doesn't require us to be rigid in our approach to food. We can still - god-forbid - enjoy eating. I for one, have experimented with multiple methods over the years and have found the most peace (and health) from adopting a 'healthy-ish' attitude to eating.
I aim for mostly greens, organic and wholefoods, try to eat when I'm hungry and stop before I'm stuffed, but cannot conceive of a life having to fully relinquish salted caramel gelato, red wine or margherita pizza.
It's the essence of Michael Pollan's moderate: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." He doesn't eschew a delicious, freshly baked chunk of sourdough and suggests, for all the guidelines (his include Rule No. 19: "If it's a plant, eat it. If it was made in a plant, don't." Or Rule 36: "Don't eat breakfast cereals that change the colour of your milk." Or Rule No. 20: "It's not food if it arrived through the window of your car.") we "break the rules once in a while".
It's not complicated, fear-mongering or suggesting one answer is the only way, nor does it restrict us from ever being able to socialise or enjoy a dinner-party ever again.
Health, after all, is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, according to WHO. It's about balance and balance surely includes a little pleasure as much as anything else.
This is a 'healthy-ish' way to live and may be a more sustainable answer to good health. And the best part? There's no 'one way' to get there, we just need to start being healthier in a way that works for us.
The many ways we can be healthy-ish
The team of behavioural scientists at CSIRO say the following are the five main diet personality types:
The Thinker - Overthinking leads to stress and mood swings which can derail your eating patterns.
The Craver - This person's heightened experience of cravings can lead to overeating in a variety of 'tricky' situations.
The Foodie - Food is on your mind 24/7 – you love making, eating and experiencing it.
The Socialiser - Flexibility is essential – you won't let strict food restrictions stifle your social life.
The Freewheeler - Spontaneous and impulsive, you tend to make choices in the here-and-now.
You can take their quiz to find out what personality type you are here.
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