Why is it so hard to eat a healthy diet?

According to a national Cleveland Clinic survey, “the most common barrier to a healthier diet is that almost half of Americans (46%) view healthy food as being more expensive, while also citing a lack of time to prepare healthy meals (23%) and unfamiliarity with healthy ways of cooking (20%).” The survey also found that 45 percent of Americans purchase fast food at least once a week.

While many know that junk food is associated with an increase in obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, tooth decay and other maladies, and that vegetables and fruits are what they should eat, junk food remains popular.

These salty snacks, sugar-filled desserts, fried treats and sweet beverages are some of the major food culprits within this category. Generally, these contain minimal amounts of protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber and lots of empty calories from sugar or fat.

Related are ultra-processed foods such as breakfast cereals, frozen pizzas, potato chips, ice cream and more. These foods make up about 60 percent of the U.S. diet. For kids and teens, it is even higher—about two-thirds of what they eat.

Ultra-processed foods have been linked to a host of negative health effects, from obesity and diabetes to heart disease, depression, dementia and more. One recent study suggested that eating these foods may raise the risk of early death.

Most people want to be healthy and feel good. But with the hustle and bustle of everyday life, tight finances and the allure of a juicy burger with french fries, what can you do to make better choices?

Quick Fix

As any busy person knows, eating healthy does not always seem realistic. Children need to be ferried to soccer and ballet practice. There are work projects, laundry, family needs, car issues and other tasks that have to be done. Quality options are often substituted with highly processed boxed meals.

Depending on where you live, eating right may feel virtually impossible. A drive down a main street of any sized town or city engulfs the senses in an onslaught of bright colors, flashing signs and enticing slogans all designed to make you crave a quick-fix meal.

“…fast food has infiltrated every nook and cranny of American society,” Eric Schlosser wrote in Fast Food Nation. “An industry that began with a handful of modest hot dog and hamburger stands in southern California has spread to every corner of the nation, selling a broad range of foods wherever paying customers may be found.”

While fast food may appear cheap and convenient, the long-term costs are anything but. The money saved on a value menu today can quickly be outweighed by future medical bills. A 2024 report from the CDC estimated that obesity-related medical costs in the U.S. were nearly $173 billion in 2019. Individuals with obesity paid an average of $1,861 more in medical costs annually than those with a healthy weight.

Then there is the cost in productivity. Poor diets have been linked to lower academic performance in children and decreased workplace performance in adults. Chronic fatigue, foggy thinking and diminished physical stamina are often rooted in a nutrient-deficient diet.

These hidden costs, though less visible, impact quality of life, and reveal that junk food’s true price tag is far higher than what the receipt shows.

Blame Game

When it comes to dealing with the increase in fast food popularity—and the associated obesity pandemic—there is a lot of blame to go around. There are food manufacturers and their sly production techniques, unscrupulous advertisers who know their claims are half-truths at best and calculating retail marketers who understand that placing junk food next to a checkout line will lead people to make choices they may not normally make.

Much of this, health experts say, is related to the increase of processed food. However, many factors can influence obesity including lack of physical activity, eating more calories than you use or eating foods high in sugar, not getting good quality sleep or enough sleep, stress, health conditions, genetics, some medications and our environment.

Twinkies are just one example of a processed food to avoid. The additive that gives them their smooth feel—cellulose gum—is also used in rocket fuel. The gooey pastry eaten for breakfast? Most likely it contains alloxan, a byproduct of white flour, and it has been shown to destroy the pancreatic beta cells.

The white biscuit sauce slathered on top of a piece of fried chicken? It could have been created with corn dextrin, a common thickener used in most fast food that is also present in the glue on envelopes and postage stamps—and is even put in explosives.

Similarly, the list of other ingredients in what is labeled food would shock those who do not regularly read labels. Manufacturers have found a way to cause you to keep coming back for more by including certain additives and chemicals that create an addiction to their products.

In addition, foods that are mass produced can be more quickly processed, more efficiently packaged and sold, and stay on the store shelves longer. This all amounts to more profits for the food manufacturers but less nutrition for you.

There are healthier fast-food options such as salads, but be careful of certain salad dressings and add-ons like fried onions or croutons that add more calories.

According to the World Health Organization, “Worldwide adult obesity has more than doubled since 1990, and adolescent obesity has quadrupled.” Additionally, “In 2022, 2.5 billion adults (18 years and older) were overweight. Of these, 890 million were living with obesity. Over 390 million children and adolescents aged 5-19 years were overweight in 2022, including 160 million who were living with obesity.”

Populations of entire countries are suffering from poor health partly through a regular diet of junk!

One of the most troubling aspects of junk food consumption is how aggressively companies market to children. Studies show that children under age 8 are cognitively and emotionally vulnerable, unable to understand the persuasive intent of advertising. Despite this, the average child in the U.S. sees thousands of food ads annually—most promoting sugar-laden cereals, fast food and snacks.

Characters from beloved shows are often licensed to create branded snacks and meals. Happy Meal toys, cartoon-themed cereals and colorful packaging all reinforce brand loyalty at a young age.

While the blame game could go on forever—science calls it a disease, doctors recommend surgery for it, evolutionists claim overeating is a leftover characteristic from man’s hunter/gatherer days—ultimately the only one who is responsible for putting a stop to it, through monitoring what is on your plate, is you.

Fuel for Life

The modern world promotes a rushed existence. Attention spans are shorter. Time has become increasingly precious, with many not wanting to waste a single second. Many people push the limits and sleep less, looking for any shortcut to get more out of each day.

Where does a healthy diet fit into all of this? Nowhere, most conclude, and often the first place they cut corners is with their diets.

Realize, however, that what you put into your mouth is the fuel for your body. Consider. You would never pour sand into the gas tank of your car. If you did, you would go nowhere—and fast!

Eating junk food is similar, but the effects take longer to become obvious. Recognize what the ingredients contained in overly processed products are doing to your internal organs. Many of the calories in junk food come from dietary fat, starchy carbohydrates and sugar. This results in excess fat in the body. Excess fat wreaks havoc on the body’s very delicate and complex internal system.

Those who survive almost exclusively on a junk food diet may appear to be fine, yet real harm is taking place inside the body. Even those who are not drastically overweight can still be causing major harm to their bodies.

Think of the chemicals mentioned earlier—cellulose gum, alloxan, corn dextrin and many others. Consuming these is no better than trying to run a car engine on improper fuel.

The body needs certain vitamins and minerals to function properly. Unlike automobiles, though, the human body can put up with a lot of abuse before it quits running.

When you eat a poor diet on a regular basis, you severely impair the body’s ability—through its immune system—to fight off toxins and diseased cells. Yet the negative effects of wrong eating often take years to manifest themselves.

You need quality nutrients to think, work and thrive. Yet a healthy diet is possible!

God’s Perspective

Many conclude nature’s health principles are just that—nature’s. But when fully understood, these rules for an abundant existence came from a Creator. This Supreme Being wants all mankind to lead happy, abundant lives, as it states in His Word, the Bible: “Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers” (III John 2).

God is not a distant observer—He cares about our physical health. During His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ healed the sick and cared for the whole person. While miracles of healing still happen, God also expects us to apply wisdom and diligence to maintain the health we have been given.

Our Creator designed quality food for us to enjoy: “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you” (Gen. 1:29, New American Standard Bible). Leviticus 11 tells us what animals are clean to eat. Making natural fruits, vegetables and meats that God created a centerpiece of our diets instead of manmade processed foods will pay off.

Psalm 104 adds more: “He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; and wine that makes glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengthens man’s heart” (vs. 14-15).

Daniel 1 tells the story of the young prophet declining poor quality food at the king’s table and instead eating a balanced, healthy diet. He had to resist peer pressure, but it paid off. He was noticeably healthier than others who were not watching their nutrition: “At the end of ten days their [Daniel and his friends] countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat” (vs. 15).

Most realize they need to consume healthy foods. Yet there is a major roadblock.

Society tends toward extremes. Everyone has probably met a health food nut who insists on rudely bringing up your food-choice shortfalls at every turn and would never stoop so low as to allow anything non-organic to pass through his lips. And he haughtily makes sure you know it. Despite all this talk of “health,” he seems chronically underweight and pale. Something is definitely wrong.

Then there is the other side. This fellow chows down takeout at every meal. His decisions at lunch consists of which value meal number to select—“Should I have the two hamburger patties or just one? Large fries or extra large?”—and he will not eat it if it is not deep-fried, fat-filled and drizzled in ketchup.

Missing in both of these instances is balance. One is so “health conscious” he is not eating enough of certain foods. The other gorges every chance he gets. Neither extreme is good. The Bible warns against excess: “Have you found honey? Eat so much as is sufficient for you, lest you be filled therewith, and vomit it” (Prov. 25:16). Paul wrote, “Let your moderation be known unto all men” (Phil. 4:5).

We should care about our health. And as we do, we should be balanced, wise and moderate.

Determine to Change

Whatever condition you find yourself in, it is never too late to turn things around. All it takes is some knowledge and commitment. Only you can make the tough choices necessary to break free from addicting junk foods.

If your health is a mess, chances are your diet is a mess. This comes back to the fuel idea. What you put in your body directly impacts to your health. Good food builds good health. Junk food, bad health.

This is an example of the principle of cause and effect. For every effect, there is a cause. You may be in the condition (effects) you find yourself in today because of the sum total of poor and ill-informed choices (causes) made over the course of time. Do not be discouraged. If you have made poor choices in the past, that does not affect your ability to change.

Whether food is helpful or harmful depends on the laws of nature. Something that your body can fully digest and use will bring vibrant health. Something that is junk contributes to lethargy and disease.

Take control and start today. You choose how you will fuel your body. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

Try to eat as many whole foods as possible including vegetables, fruits, whole grains and unprocessed meats. The more raw, unprocessed foods you eat, the better your body will function. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and herbs have tremendous health and natural healing benefits. Natural foods play important roles in your body: Fruits cleanse, vegetables build, grains sustain and herbs help heal.

Avoid highly processed foods, sugar, artificial sweeteners, refined grains, trans fats and products that have a lot of salt.

Limit the amount of red meat in your diet. According to Cleveland Clinic, “There are many healthy vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in red meat, and it can be a good source of protein, B vitamins, iron and zinc. But it also comes with some health risks, like raising your risk of certain types of cancer, increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease and contributing to having obesity…Red meats are high in saturated fats, which can cause elevated levels of LDL (‘bad’ cholesterol) and put you at risk for cardiovascular disease.” Try substituting beef or lamb with fish, turkey or chicken.

Do your own research and, if needed, consult a health professional about what changes are right for you. By making small changes, you can start turning the tide for the better.

Benefits of Good Health

Good health enables better service to God, our families and communities. It increases energy, sharpens mental clarity and promotes a positive attitude. A healthy life is a gift—but also a responsibility.

To learn much more about how to be healthy, read our free booklet God’s Principles of Healthful Living.

An excerpt from this booklet makes clear what is at stake for you:

“God’s physical creation is governed by definite, physical laws. These include laws that regulate our bodies. To be healthy, you must follow them. But when they are broken, sickness results.

“When a person breaks these principles and laws of health—whether through omission or negligence—the body suffers. Among the negative results are malnutrition, atrophy from inactivity, or exhaustion from lack of rest—simple cause and effect.

“In this booklet, we will examine several factors contributing to physical well-being, and help you identify areas where improvements could be made. Some of these involve the breaking of firmly established bad habits. These must be replaced by new habits that harmonize with God’s laws of health. A mind that wants to obey God will look for ways to improve and upgrade life. This includes being more alert, awake, and alive!

“Though not stated in detail in the Ten Commandments or other statutes and precepts, the physical laws of health are living laws—they are real—and the Bible addresses many of them in principle. Breaking them is physical transgression—physical sin.”

It continues, “God does not want us to be ignorant of how cause and effect relates to healthful living. Applying these principles in a balanced way yields great benefits. Healthful living is not an end in itself. Avoid getting carried away or becoming obsessed with health—do not make it your god!

“Once you know the principles that govern health, you can grow in understanding and better practice them. But this should merely be your starting point, with long-term goals in mind. The physical is temporary at best. While you can demonstrate to God that you have wisely managed these physical resources, your main goals in life must surpass the ‘here and now.’ You must not overly focus on exercise or foods.

“In this life, some suffering is necessary. God allows us to endure certain physical ailments and afflictions for a reason. Sometimes, tests come in the form of physical affliction. However, by becoming armed with certain facts and knowledge, and acting on them, you can show God your willingness to properly care for your body—‘the temple of the living God’ (I Cor. 3:16-17). This will lead to greater resistance and immunity to disease and sickness.”

This informative publication provides information on how to “reactivate” your body through exercise, the benefits of wholesome foods, how rest and sleep rejuvenates your body, the benefits of fasting and so much more.

Change can be difficult, yet it is possible to replace frequent junk food meals with easy, delicious whole food that will properly fuel your body. Your body will thank you!