Diet (nutrition)

{{Main|Healthy diet}}

A healthy diet can improve and maintain health, which can include aspects of mental and physical health.{{Cite journal |last1=Johnson |first1=Veronica R. |last2=Washington |first2=Tiffani Bell |last3=Chhabria |first3=Shradha |last4=Wang |first4=Emily Hsu-Chi |last5=Czepiel |first5=Kathryn |last6=Reyes |first6=Karen J. Campoverde |last7=Stanford |first7=Fatima Cody |date=2022-05-01 |title=Food as Medicine for Obesity Treatment and Management |journal=Clinical Therapeutics |language=English |volume=44 |issue=5 |pages=671–681 |doi=10.1016/j.clinthera.2022.05.001 |pmid=35618570 |pmc=9908371 |s2cid=249022627 |issn=0149-2918 |doi-access=free}} Specific diets, such as the DASH diet, can be used in treatment and management of chronic conditions.

Dietary recommendations exist for many different countries, and they usually emphasise a balanced diet which is culturally appropriate.{{Cite journal |last=Nemec |first=Kelly |date=November 2020 |title=Cultural Awareness of Eating Patterns in the Health Care Setting |journal=Clinical Liver Disease |language=en-US |volume=16 |issue=5 |pages=204–207 |doi=10.1002/cld.1019 |issn=2046-2484 |pmc=7727853 |pmid=33318789}} These recommendation are different from dietary reference values which provide information about the prevention of nutrient deficiencies.

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Exclusionary diets are diets with certain groups or specific types of food avoided, either due to health considerations or by choice. Many do not eat food from animal sources to varying degrees (e.g. flexitarianism, pescetarianism, vegetarianism, and veganism) for health reasons, issues surrounding morality, or to reduce their personal impact on the environment{{Cite web |last=United Nations |title=Food and Climate Change: Healthy diets for a healthier planet |url=https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/food |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=United Nations |language=en}} (e.g. environmental vegetarianism). People on a balanced vegetarian or vegan diet can obtain adequate nutrition, but may need to specifically focus on consuming specific nutrients, such as protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B₁₂.{{Cite journal|last1=Melina|first1=Vesanto|last2=Craig|first2=Winston|last3=Levin|first3=Susan|date=December 2016|title=Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian Diets|journal=Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics|volume=116|issue=12|pages=1970–1980|doi=10.1016/j.jand.2016.09.025|issn=2212-2672|pmid=27886704|s2cid=4984228 }}{{Cite web|title=Vegetarian diet: How to get the best nutrition|date=2020-08-20|url=https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/vegetarian-diet/art-20046446|access-date=2022-12-12|website=Mayo Clinic|language=en|archive-date=2021-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410041319/https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/vegetarian-diet/art-20046446|url-status=live}} Raw foodism and intuitive eating are other approaches to dietary choices. Education, income, local availability, and mental health are all major factors for dietary choices.

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A particular diet may be chosen to promote weight loss or weight gain. Changing a person's dietary intake, or "going on a diet", can change the energy balance, and increase or decrease the amount of fat stored by the body.

The terms "healthy diet" and "diet for weight management" (dieting) are often related, as the two promote healthy weight management.{{Cite journal|last=Aphramor|first=Lucy|date=2010-07-20|title=Validity of claims made in weight management research: a narrative review of dietetic articles|journal=Nutrition Journal|language=en|volume=9|issue=1|pages=30|doi=10.1186/1475-2891-9-30|issn=1475-2891|pmc=2916886|pmid=20646282 |doi-access=free }} If a person is overweight or obese, changing to a diet and lifestyle that allows them to burn more calories than they consume may improve their overall health, possibly preventing diseases that are attributed in part to weight, including heart disease and diabetes.{{Cite web|title=Diets|url=https://medlineplus.gov/diets.html|access-date=2021-05-28|website=medlineplus.gov|archive-date=2021-06-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613074449/https://medlineplus.gov/diets.html|url-status=live}} Within the past 10 years, obesity rates have increased by almost 10%.{{Cite journal |last1=Long |first1=Zichong |last2=Huang |first2=Lili |last3=Lyu |first3=Jiajun |last4=Xia |first4=Yuanqing |last5=Chen |first5=Yiting |last6=Li |first6=Rong |last7=Wang |first7=Yanlin |last8=Li |first8=Shenghui |date=2022-01-12 |title=Trends of central obesity and associations with nutrients intake and daily behaviors among women of childbearing age in China |journal=BMC Women's Health |volume=22 |issue=1 |pages=12 |doi=10.1186/s12905-022-01600-9 |issn=1472-6874 |pmc=8753840 |pmid=35016648 |doi-access=free }} Conversely, if a person is underweight due to illness or malnutrition, they may change their diet to promote weight gain. Intentional changes in weight, though often beneficial, can be potentially harmful to the body if they occur too rapidly. Unintentional rapid weight change can be caused by the body's reaction to some medications, or may be a sign of major medical problems including thyroid issues and cancer among other diseases.{{cite web | title = Body Weight | publisher = MedlinePlus | url = https://medlineplus.gov/bodyweight.html | access-date = June 26, 2020 | archive-date = June 2, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200602110835/https://medlineplus.gov/bodyweight.html | url-status = live }}

Dietary meat consumption, particularly consumption of red and processed meat, is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer.{{cite journal |vauthors=Kossenas K, Constantinou C |title=Epidemiology, Molecular Mechanisms, and Clinical Trials: an Update on Research on the Association Between Red Meat Consumption and Colorectal Cancer |journal=Curr Nutr Rep |volume=10 |issue=4 |pages=435–467 |date=December 2021 |pmid=34665439 |doi=10.1007/s13668-021-00377-x |url=}}{{cite journal |vauthors=Di Y, Ding L, Gao L, Huang H |title=Association of meat consumption with the risk of gastrointestinal cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis |journal=BMC Cancer |volume=23 |issue=1 |pages=782 |date=August 2023 |pmid=37612616 |pmc=10463360 |doi=10.1186/s12885-023-11218-1 |doi-access=free |url=}} There appears to be a metabolic link between a fat- and meat rich diet and cancer associated gut microbes.{{cite journal |vauthors=Wirbel J, Pyl PT, Kartal E, et al |title=Meta-analysis of fecal metagenomes reveals global microbial signatures that are specific for colorectal cancer |journal=Nature Medicine |volume=25 |issue=4 |pages=679–689 |date=April 2019 |pmid=30936547 |pmc=7984229 |doi=10.1038/s41591-019-0406-6}} In the colonic contents of humans on a high fat diet, the secondary bile acid deoxycholic acid produced from the primary bile acid cholic acid by the gut microbiota is increased, and this increase is associated with a higher risk of colorectal cancer.{{cite journal |vauthors=Fogelson KA, Dorrestein PC, Zarrinpar A, Knight R |title=The Gut Microbial Bile Acid Modulation and Its Relevance to Digestive Health and Diseases |journal=Gastroenterology |volume=164 |issue=7 |pages=1069–1085 |date=June 2023 |pmid=36841488 |pmc=10205675 |doi=10.1053/j.gastro.2023.02.022}}{{cite journal |vauthors=Bernstein H, Bernstein C |title=Bile acids as carcinogens in the colon and at other sites in the gastrointestinal system |journal=Experimental Biology and Medicine|volume=248 |issue=1 |pages=79–89 |date=January 2023 |pmid=36408538 |pmc=9989147 |doi=10.1177/15353702221131858}} In populations that have a high incidence of colorectal cancer fecal concentrations of bile acids, particularly deoxycholic acid produced by the action of gut microbiota, are higher.

{{See also|Sustainable diet|Low-carbon diet|Plant-based diet}}Agriculture is a driver of environmental degradation, such as biodiversity loss, climate change, desertification, soil degradation and pollution. The food system as a whole – including refrigeration, food processing, packaging, and transport – accounts for around one-quarter of greenhouse gas emissions.{{Cite journal |last1=Ritchie |first1=Hannah |author1-link=Hannah Ritchie |last2=Roser |first2=Max |author2-link=Max Roser |last3=Rosado |first3=Pablo |date=2020-05-11 |title=CO₂ and Greenhouse Gas Emissions |url=https://ourworldindata.org/emissions-by-sector |journal=Our World in Data}} More sustainable dietary choices can be made to reduce the impact of the food system on the environment. These choices may involve reducing consumption of meat and dairy products and instead eating more plant-based foods, and eating foods grown through sustainable farming practices.{{Cite web |last=Nations |first=United |title=Food and Climate Change: Healthy diets for a healthier planet |url=https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/food |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=United Nations |language=en}}

Some cultures and religions have restrictions concerning what foods are acceptable in their diet. For example, only Kosher foods are permitted in Judaism, and Halal foods in Islam. Although Buddhists are generally vegetarians, the practice varies and meat-eating may be permitted depending on the sects.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=985a1M7L1NcC&pg=PA77 |title=A Dictionary of Buddhism |first=Damien |last=Keown |page=77 |publisher=Oxford University Press |date=26 August 2004 |isbn=9780191579172 |access-date=26 January 2017 |archive-date=14 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230114192647/https://books.google.com/books?id=985a1M7L1NcC&pg=PA77 |url-status=live }} In Hinduism, vegetarianism is the ideal. Jains are strictly vegetarian and in addition to that the consumption of any roots (ex: potatoes, carrots) is not permitted.

In Christianity there is no restriction on the kinds of animals that can be eaten,[http://bibliaparalela.com/mark/7-14.htm Marcos 7:14] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104131626/https://bibliaparalela.com/mark/7-14.htm |date=2021-11-04 }}-[http://bibliaparalela.com/mark/7-23.htm 23] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104204250/https://bibliaparalela.com/mark/7-23.htm |date=2021-11-04 }}[http://bibliaparalela.com/matthew/15-10.htm Mateo 15:10] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211105101100/https://bibliaparalela.com/matthew/15-10.htm |date=2021-11-05 }}-[http://bibliaparalela.com/matthew/15-20.htm 20] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104141325/https://bibliaparalela.com/matthew/15-20.htm |date=2021-11-04 }} though various groups within Christianity have practiced specific dietary restrictions for various reasons.{{cite web|title=Code of Canon Law|publisher=vatican.va|access-date=July 28, 2013|url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_P4O.HTM#37|archive-date=November 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129223503/https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_P4O.HTM#37|url-status=live}} The most common diets used by Christians are Mediterranean and vegetarianism.{{cn|date=April 2025}}

{{Notelist|30em}}

• Diet food
• Dieting
• Dessert crop
• Intuitive eating
• Nutrition psychology

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