C-Force: Eating Healthier a Top Resolution but Tough to Carry Out

Well, sure enough, it wasn't long after the ball dropped in Times Square, and the last sparkler across the land had fizzled, that tallies as to the most popular New Year's resolutions for 2025 were issued. And sure enough, there in the top five, according to the data company Statista, sits "to eat healthier." According to a CBS News report, many people may assume that, as usual, hitting the gym and getting in shape would be the nation's top resolution. But that is not the case for 2025. Reports Statista, America's top goal heading into 2025 is to save more money. And eating healthier wasn't far behind.

CBS News also reminds us of a 2023 poll from Forbes Health which revealed that "most people give up resolutions after less than four months." It is a pattern that is expected to remain this year. As has been proven time and time again, even a simple resolution can soon turn into a daunting task. And when it comes to changing one's eating habits, it continues to be easier said than done.

"Resolutions often fail because people never turn them into habits, said Justin Hale, an adviser and speaker at leadership and management consulting company Crucial Learning" says, according to CBS News.

"Research shows that 40% of what we do day in and day out are habits. Habits are things that you do without even thinking. You do those things like a routine, habitually, almost automatic," Hale says. "The problem is people, when they want to be better in the new year, they never focus on understanding what are the exact behaviors that I need to be done to turn into habits, and what's the plan I'm going to create to make that thing habitual."

Adds Dr. Leah Croll, attending neurologist at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn: "Most goals are going to take multiple steps to achieve. ... There's also something very gratifying on a chemical level in the brain about sort of checking things off your list and feeling like you're already making progress towards your goal."

For those wishing to eat better, achieving that goal in 2025 will be no easy task.

CNN's Sandee LaMotte recently reported that "ultraprocessed foods ... make up nearly 70% of the nation's food supply. ... Ultraprocessed foods typically contain combinations of sugar, salt and fats designed to maximize the 'bliss point' of a food, making it potentially irresistible. ... Advances in food science over the decades since have created even more artificial flavors, smells and textures that experts say home-cooked meals can no longer replicate. These additives, along with high levels of sugar, salt and fat, help create the overwhelming lure of ultraprocessed foods."

Marion Nestle, a molecular biologist and nutrition scientist, and professor emerita of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University, points out that "there have been literally hundreds of observational studies that show a connection between ultraprocessed foods and adverse health outcomes -- nearly all show harm."

Healthline reports that ultraprocessed foods, or UPFs, "tend to contain large quantities of sugar, fat, and a list of ingredients you would not find in a standard home kitchen. UPFs are produced industrially, are relatively low cost, and have a long shelf life, all of which make them convenient for the customer and the manufacturer. Importantly, they're also highly palatable and easy to overeat. ... In the United States, more than half of calories consumed are in the form of ultra-processed foods."

Dr. Federica Amati, a postdoctoral medical scientist and registered public health nutritionist with the Association for Nutrition, says that, at the moment, "most of us eat around 60% of our calories as UPFs. Removing those products entirely would be nearly impossible, especially if we tried to do it all at once. Instead, make small sustainable changes, with the goal of reducing your total energy intake to around 20% from UPFs."

"Because of the growing evidence that UPFs are closely linked to worse health outcomes, many experts are calling for stricter regulations on these foods," Healthline reports. "It remains to be seen whether such restrictions in the ultra-processed food industry will take effect."

"It's clear that certain UPFs are worse for our health than others, so if you're looking to cut down, start with the worst offender: soda. The evidence of links between high intakes of soda and poor health outcomes is now overwhelming. So, if you can cut it out of your diet, you'll be doing your health a huge favor," advises Amati, who recommends "replacing soda with water with optional added fruit," Healthline reports.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration "is responsible for regulating 80% of the U.S. food supply, and the Human Foods Program oversees all activities related to food safety and nutrition," The Packer reports. As stated on the FDA's website, "The HFP's vision is to ensure that food serves as a vehicle for wellness, and our day-to-day activities support our mission to protect and promote the health and wellness of all people through science-based approaches to prevent foodborne illness, reduce diet-related chronic disease, and ensure chemicals in food are safe."

As reported by CNN, "in the United States alone, it's estimated nearly 260 million Americans will be overweight or obese by 2050 unless policy makers take immediate action.

"For the first time in history, the potential role of ultraprocessed foods in the US obesity epidemic is being investigated as part of the new 2025-2030 US Dietary Guidelines, slated to be published by the end of 2025."

The major manufacturers of UPFs have yet to really be heard on this issue. That's sure to change in the months ahead.

========

Follow Chuck Norris through his official social media sites, on Twitter @chucknorris and Facebook's "Official Chuck Norris Page." He blogs at http://chucknorrisnews.blogspot.com. To find out more about Chuck Norris and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com