The Meta 2020 Diet
A team of 25 experts paired with journalists from U.S. News & World Report recently reviewed 35 different diets. I always look forward to this annual release to see which diets score highest for the Best Overall Diet.
First off, let it be said that consumers are becoming uninterested in diets. The International Food Information Council (IFIC) has recently outlined this anti-diet trend in its 2020 predictions, highlighting a desire for more intuitive eating and less fad dieting, especially among younger consumers. The survey even finds that overt messaging about weight loss is also falling out of favor. Thank goodness! …though I bet more covert, subtle messaging about weight loss still sparks consumer interest. I mean at the end of the day many people, for better or worse, are motivated by the promise of weight loss.
This newest U.S. News list of top “diets” for 2020 can reveal a lot, so let’s take a meta look at the situation. Meta, you ask? In health and nutrition research, meta means “a quantitative, formal, epidemiological study design used to systematically assess previous research studies to derive conclusions about that body of research.” My simplified, non-scientific meta approach involves assembling a core, defining element for each “winning” diet landing in the Top 5 in order to devise an amalgamation of what matters most. We shall call this the Meta 2020 Diet!
Here are the Top 5, and be forewarned it’s really a list of 7 thanks to numerous ties:
#1 - Mediterranean Diet
#2 - DASH Diet (tie)
#2 - Flexitarian Diet (tie)
#4 - WW (Weight Watchers) Diet
#5 - Mayo Clinic Diet (tie)
#5 - MIND Diet (tie)
#5 - Volumetrics (tie)
Next, let’s assemble the core, defining element from each that provides that point-of-difference, or POD for all you marketers out there.
For the Mediterranean Diet, some defining features pointed out by the reviewers include a diet low in red meat, sugar and saturated fat. A yes to all that, but looking at the positive inclusions instead of exclusions, the POD is arguably about adding in more seafood and more olive oil. Check, and check.
For the DASH Diet, the POD is embedded in the acronym itself. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, a.k.a. high blood pressure. The emphasis is on reducing sodium and increasing potassium to keep blood pressure in check. Keep in mind one of the best ways to up potassium is consuming lots of fruits and veggies.
For the Flexitarian Diet, again, the secret sauce is right in the name. Flexibility means no rigid dogma. Enough said.
For the WW Diet, the system is based on WW’s SmartPoints system, which assigns every food and beverage a point value. Points aside, I think the POD here is the behavioral support system for members. It’s like a built-in, ready-made foodie tribe with a similar goal to lose and then maintain body weight long term.
For the Mayo Clinic Diet, the key here is the backing of a credible medical community. This diet is based on the Mayo Clinic’s unique version of the food pyramid which emphasizes fruits, veggies and whole grains.
For the MIND Diet, not unlike the Mayo Clinic Diet, there’s a team of medical researchers behind it. In this case, they are focused on preventing Alzheimer’s disease. MIND stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. POD? Simply see above for Mediterranean and for DASH, and then pair those with a heavy consumption of leafy greens, nuts and berries and you’ve got it.
And finally, for the Volumetrics Diet, the defining element is energy density. Foods are divided into four groups from low to high energy density. Non-starchy fruits and vegetables, nonfat milk and broth-based soups are low energy density while crackers, chips, chocolates, cookies, nuts, butter and oil are high energy density. The goal is to pile on the lower energy dense options while limiting higher energy dense one as much as possible. I should point out this diet was first conceived in an era when dietary fat was out of favor. So, while I LOVE the concept of energy density as a guide post, there are some foods (like nuts or avocados) that are naturally very energy dense but definitely deserve a regular spot in any healthy diet.
Putting it all together then, our Meta 2020 Diet looks like this:
More Seafood
More Olive Oil
Less Sodium
More Potassium
Flexibility
Behavioral Support
Fruits, Veggies and Whole Grains
Leafy Greens, Nuts, and Berries
Lower Energy Density
You may be saying it sounds too basic, too obvious, or just too…well, boring. Welcome to the world of basic nutrition science my friends. Oh…and what about keto you may be asking? It ranked #34 of 35 in Best Diets Overall.
Lastly, it’s worth noting that U.S. News & World Report did multiple lists beyond the Best Diet Overall, including Best Plant-Based Diets, Best Heart-Healthy Diets, Best Weight Loss Diets and others, with one quite noticeable commonality - many, many ties throughout. To me, the ties indicate that not only are there many diet options, but also there are many truly viable diet options all on par with one another. This means our consumers of 2020 have a paradox of choice situation. They will undoubtedly need expert guidance and credible information paired with the foods, beverages and services designed to support their chosen option. It takes both the info and the goods!
All photos were taken by @rachelcheatham.phd, and edited by @nisahnet