Health and wellness is on the mind of an ever-growing part of the populace, at least some of the time, according to one Canadian marketing expert, Ryan Benn, president of Alive Publishing Group (APG), an international publication for the health industry. But as consumers, people are still widely confused about how to make the right diet- and lifestyle choices to reach their desired goals.
For example, when asked about their priorities in their food shopping decisions, the majority of respondents said they preferred "natural" and "organic" products they could trust to be free from health-hazards. By contrast, interest in "dieting" or "weight management" turned out to be less prevalent in their responses, possibly due to a tiring of the public in these matters.
The research was conducted simultaneously in Australia, Canada and the United States, with largely similar findings.
A 2012 survey on consumer attitudes towards food safety, nutrition and health by the International Food Information Council (IFIC) found that most consumers had fewer problems doing their taxes than figuring out how to take better care of their health.
The continuously changing nutrition and lifestyle information they are bombarded with leaves many people frustrated to the point where they lose interest, even those who seriously attempt making improvements, the survey report says.
On the other hand, not everyone feels the need for much of a personal effort either. Nine out of ten survey participants described their overall health status as good. 60 per cent thought they were in excellent or very good shape. Only nine per cent said their health was in fair or poor condition.
But despite the optimistic views of their well-being, most respondents also recognized they could do better, with only about 25 per cent considering their diet- and lifestyle choices as optimal.
Still, nutrition experts see some promising progress in current trends. While the obesity crisis is far from over, years of warnings and dire predictions by health officials apparently are finally getting through.
According to the most recent reports, eating habits are improving both in terms of calorie consumption and nutritional quality.
There are no huge shifts yet in the public's behaviour, but even small changes have a noticeable impact, says Kelly Brownell, an expert on obesity at Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy.
One possible factor was the aftermath of the 2008 recession, when many people ate out less and prepared more meals at home. That event in itself, the experts say, may have produced at least some positive results, as insufficient as they may turn out to be in the long run.
There is hope, however, that through greater awareness and encouraging experiences, more among those who started making improvements will continue to move in the right direction.
We may be seeing a cultural change like we have had with smoking, according to Dr. Walter Willett, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard University's School of Public Health. We may in fact be reaching a tipping point that will lead to a decrease in the consumption of sugary drinks and an increase in the consumption of healthy foods, he said in an interview with CNN.
Obviously there are numerous obstacles still to be overcome to make these developments permanent. One is pricing. Healthy food remains out of reach for too many low-income families.
Another is cooperation (or lack thereof) by the food industry, which could make food labels more easily decipherable and promote smaller portion sizes through alternative packaging - just to mention two of many steps that could be taken without delay.
And, of course, ingrained eating and lifestyle habits are hard to break. No one should be naïve about that. But progress often happens insidiously and may not even be noticeable for some time. Let's hope we are in such a phase.
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Buy your vegetables in advance, chop them how you like, and store them in containers in the fridge for the week, says registered dietitian Kiran Bains of edovivo. "You’re more likely to use the healthy food in your fridge when it is convenient and ready to use."
One you get meal prepping down, eating healthy during the day is easy. "When grocery shopping, I choose two proteins that I will enjoy for the week and about five to six different veggies," Bains says. Try making your batches on Sundays and Wednesdays (to keep your menu fresh) and for starches try variations of rice, sweet potatoes, wraps, quinoa and pastas high in fibre.
For some of us this may be a wrap or a stir-fry or a rice bowl. Whatever your favourite meal is, stick to it during the week. "My go-to meals are stir-fries, wraps, soups, and salads when it comes to lunch items and of course, I love using left-overs from my dinner meals whenever possible," she says. If you're having chicken dinner, use leftover pieces for a wrap or salad the next day.
"One of my favourite things to do and easiest ways to get all of your food groups into a meal is to make a soup from leftovers," Bains says. If you're cooking chicken or beef, use the bones to create a broth. To keep things healthy, make sure you add as many vegetables as you can to your pot of soup.
"If you decided to splurge on that sugary baked good that’s been calling your name in the cafeteria, try to find an option that is higher in fibre like a bran cookie or bran muffin," she adds. Not only this, but combine your snack with peanut or almond butter for the added protein.
Keep snacks that are high in healthy fats, fibre and protein at your desk. Try nuts and seeds, fruit and low-sugar granola. And just like snacks, hydration is always important, Bains says. Make sure you keep a water bottle handy.
"Set Outlook reminders to snack throughout the day if you’re one of those people that forgets to eat during the day. Snacking throughout the day and keeping yourself hydrated is a great way to ensure your portions aren’t blown out of the waters when it comes to your main meals," she says. You can also use apps on your phone and set reminders to drink water and eat a healthy snack!
We don't need to tell you which office snacks to avoid. But if you aren't ready to give up your mini doughnuts and chocolate bars just yet, think about portion control. "When I do splurge on sugary items, I like to keep the portion size to just half the size of the palm of my hand in mind," Bains says. "If I’m still hungry, I’ll increase the amount of protein that I’m having with it, to make up for that loss."
Follow Timi Gustafson, R.D. on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TimiGustafsonRD