Explore the Evolution & History of Diets
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.
The History of Dieting
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.
However, this comprehensive understanding gradually gave way to more rigid and often harmful practices as history progressed. Starvation, deprivation, and distrust of one's body signals became more common and associated with dieting.
For example, vinegar as a weight loss tonic dates back centuries. Lord George Gordon Byron, a celebrity poet from the romantic era, famously consumed bizarre concoctions like biscuits with soda water or vinegar-soaked potatoes. His dieting practices were often criticized by the medical community and were seen as unhealthy influences on impressionable youth. Modern celebrities have promoted apple cider vinegar as a weight loss "cleanse" despite no significant research supporting its effectiveness.
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.
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.
Stay tuned for an upcoming post that will explore personalization over generalization, the flawed concept of “eating right,” and a more inclusive approach to nourishment. If you remain interested and want to explore 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!
