Vegan. Paleo. Juice cleansers. Gluten free. If you keep up with health news, it seems like there are weekly discoveries about a food or drug that will make you thinner and healthier. All these different announcements are overwhelming to the modern millennial. I think that there are a few explanations that play into this infatuation with our diet.
In developed countries, there is a growing population of wealthy/middle-class millennials. The affluence of this set of the population can be used on things beyond survival, like fancier foods. In economics, there is a set of goods called inferior goods. For example, McDonald's, cheap produce, ramen noodles, etc. belong to this category. These items decrease in demand as people's income increases. Contrarily, normal goods increase in demand with an increase in people's wealth. These products include higher-end foods, like organic and fair-trade produce. Prosperous millennials can buy more of these normal goods, which may even be luxuries. Organic foods, diet regimens, and prepared foods are in a lot higher demand than before.
Along with this more affluent society comes an elevated focus on one's self-image. Most popularly, people are looking for diets that will make them thin in the shortest amount of time. I think this desire comes from our instant-gratification mentality which demands immediate results, whatever the cost. Tied with self-image comes the vegan and other dietary movements. Some people think that these diets will improve their status when people see how they respect animals more and eat more "stylishly" than others. Again, many millennials can focus more on their image via what they eat because they have more time and money to dedicate to this area of their lives than previous generations.
The media also plays a role in these food fads. The inundation of our society with news about health, medicine, and disease has driven us to focus more on our own health. When we hear about a new medical study, we think that the new finding is the solution to all of our troubles. However, shortly thereafter, more research comes out with another solution or contradictory evidence. Also, advertisements display an idealized body image. They leave people desiring a perfect physical form, which is very difficult to reach.
The media plays into this market for diets. Since there is a large group of people who want to be healthy, companies can make a lot of money by advertising their new eating method as the best and quickest way.
Therefore, we need to be leery of what science we trust. Nowadays, anyone can become a health professional or publish a medical article very easily. Many websites claim to offer sound health advice; yet, they have no accreditation. Only people with registered dietary nutritionist degrees are those who have been trained at a certified institution.
I think the solution to our health problems is to become a society of moderation. If you think about it, disease is caused by extremes, whether they are under our control or not. Illness occurs when our body is not in equilibrium. For example, diabetes is caused by an imbalance in insulin levels and heart disease can be caused by an imbalance in cholesterol, sodium, or other compounds in the blood. Many of our foods are imbalanced by high levels of sugars, cholesterol, and unhealthy fats and low levels of vitamins and nutrients. By varying your diet with healthy fats, some carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, and nutrients, you will give your body what it needs to maintain a healthy equilibrium.
Also, our individual health cannot be put into a one-size-fits-all diet. Many people have genetic and pre-existing diseases that need specific treatment. By living a balanced life of a varied diet, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep, your health will become exponentially better.
