The History of Diets & Diet Culture
Warning: This blog discusses the history of diets, which includes diet trends and disordered eating throughout history. Please use caution and discernment—if you're not comfortable with this topic, you might want to skip this post.
In the ever-evolving world of nutrition, we are constantly bombarded with claims about the “best” diets. Each year, a new “right way to eat” or a “secret” to weight loss emerges, and we are often quick to jump on the bandwagon. In 2022 alone, Americans spent a staggering $135.7 billion on the diet and weight loss industry (The U.S. Weight Loss & Diet Control Market, 2024). However, the notion that one diet trumps all others is not just simplistic; it's misleading.
What is a Diet?
The term "diet," from the Latin "diaita," offered a broader and more holistic perspective than the modern interpretation we’ve come to know. Historically, the term "diaita" was derived from the Greek word "diaitan," which was more encompassing, signifying a way of living rather than one particular behavior over another. In Latin, the word "diaita" was used as a verb meaning "to lead, govern, or arbitrate one's life," indicating a broader scope than just food consumption; it also included aspects of overall lifestyle and daily habits.
In biology, a diet refers to the variety of foods an organism eats to meet its nutritional needs. For instance, black bears consume a diet of roots, berries, grasses, fish, meat, and insects to thrive. The term can also describe specific eating habits tailored to health conditions, such as the need for gluten-free options in individuals with celiac disease, who struggle to process certain nutrients.
Culturally, however, the word "diet" has shifted in meaning. It is often associated with intentional food restriction aimed at weight loss. Starvation, deprivation, and distrust of one's body signals became more common and associated with dieting.
What is Diet Culture?
Diet culture refers to the societal norms and practices that prioritize weight loss as a sign of health and self-worth. It is a pervasive ideology that influences media, personal interactions, and even professional advice from healthcare providers. This system often promotes restrictive eating habits, glorifies thinness, and markets quick fixes as the path to success. Key myths perpetuated by diet culture include:
Certain foods are inherently superior.
Thinness equates to better health.
Thin individuals are more attractive.
Larger bodies reflect poor life choices.
Personal health and appearance are entirely within an individual’s control
This narrow focus on weight overlooks the complexity of health, which includes mental, emotional, and social well-being, and disregards the natural diversity of body shapes and sizes. Research consistently shows that weight is not a reliable indicator of health and that weight loss-centric approaches can cause significant harm. The historical roots of diet culture reveal how it became entangled with social, economic, and political forces over time.
A Brief History of Diet Culture
Although diet culture often masquerades as science-based, it functions more like a belief system. It can be seen in everyday interactions, from social media posts to advice from healthcare professionals, perpetuating the notion that thinner bodies are inherently better. The roots of this ideology date back to ancient times. For example, the Ancient Greeks revered physical fitness, linking it to morality and virtue. Later, early Christian traditions equated food restriction with spiritual purity, establishing a connection between eating habits and morality.
In the 19th century, figures like Sylvester Graham advocated restrictive diets to promote health and suppress desires, solidifying the moral undertones associated with food choices. Over time, these beliefs evolved into widespread systems of control, reinforcing oppressive structures like racism, sexism, and classism.
The 20th century saw various diets, often targeting women. From the Fletcherism diet advising chewing food 100 times, the Lucky Diet promoting cigarettes over food when having a craving, to the Drinking Man's diet, permitting meat and alcohol exclusively (echoing William the Conqueror's alcohol-only diet from 1028). All of these diets were not only odd but harmful, disordered, and frankly dangerous.
Despite this, lucrative trends continued. The 1960s presented Weight Watchers, focusing on a points system based on calories, fats, sugars, and proteins. This approach is a way of calorie counting that neglects the physical benefits of nutrients in foods, the psychology and emotions intertwined with food, and the complexities of metabolism (Asp, 2019). The 1970s saw the advent of the Sleeping Beauty Diet, which encouraged excessive sleep (often induced by sedatives) to avoid eating. Linked to numerous health risks, this diet was reportedly used by celebrities like Elvis Presley.
Systems of Oppression Supported by Diet Culture
Anti-Blackness
Historical narratives used body size to justify racial hierarchies. Larger bodies were stigmatized and associated with Black individuals, perpetuating harmful stereotypes. As sociologist Sabrina Strings highlights in Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia, fatness was framed as uncivilized and undesirable in contrast to white European ideals, creating a racialized bias that persists today.Patriarchy
Diet culture has also enforced patriarchal norms, particularly around the policing of women’s bodies. The pressure to conform to thin ideals starts early, with many young girls internalizing weight-related fears. This societal scrutiny, however, extends beyond women and impacts people of all genders, reinforcing a culture of body dissatisfaction.Thin Privilege
Alongside oppression, diet culture elevates thinner bodies, granting privileges like easier access to clothing, favorable treatment in healthcare, and societal assumptions of health and competence. These advantages reinforce systemic inequalities while marginalizing larger-bodied individuals.
Dieting in Today’s World
In more recent years, diets like the Raw Food Diet, Keto, Paleo, and Master Cleanse have gained popularity. Each diet carries its own set of restrictions and health risks, often ignoring the balance and variety essential to the body and only found in food.
Reflecting on the various diet trends throughout history, we notice a consistent pattern: the pursuit of an ideal body, and consequently, an ideal diet, is a continuous and futile quest. This historical exploration of dieting trends not only highlights our ongoing obsession with weight loss but also underscores the cyclical nature of diets. Each era has seen its share of diets, often recycled or repackaged, only to then be sold to us again. It is a reminder that today's revolutionary diet will be tomorrow's outdated fad. Ultimately, in a consumer-driven market, we face the choice of whether or not to buy it.
Even modern-day cultural eating patterns are often co-opted, labeled, and misrepresented by the diet industry, wellness industry, and media. Examples include hyperfocus on the Mediterranean diet (there are foods from many other heritages that are also health-promoting) to the growing movement towards unprocessed foods, “clean eating,” meals made only from scratch, and even the campaign to simply “eat right.” Consider your own needs, preferences, history with food and eating, accessibility, and lifestyle to determine what pattern is most beneficial to you. If you feel you need help with this, contact a dietitian!
The idea that any single diet could be universally sustainable ignores the fact that each person has individualized dietary needs and a unique relationship to food. This is why a dietitian’s job is so important.
If you remain interested in unpacking diet culture and want to explore it further, reach out to our team at CV Wellbeing for expert guidance tailored to your individual needs. Contact us today to start your journey toward a healthier, happier you!
