KANSAS CITY \u2014 Quick-fix diets may work for a few weeks but soon fade in effectiveness. Consumers could choose another path on their weight management journeys: Make lifestyle changes and find eating patterns that are more sustainable.<\/p>\n
Food companies may interest those consumers by offering nutrient-dense products and promoting the attributes on packages.<\/p>\n
Lisa Jones, a registered dietitian and contributor to US News and World Report, said she recommends plant-forward diets such as the Mediterranean diet.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose tend to work really well long term because they are not overly restrictive,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Such diets tend to emphasize fruit and vegetables, whole grains, beans, healthy fats and good sources of protein like fish and chicken, she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor long-term weight management, I think we need to move past the idea that there is one magical diet,\u201d said Thom King, chief innovations officer at Icon Foods and based in Portland, Ore. \u201cThe evidence increasingly points toward sustainable dietary patterns rather than short-term restriction. Mediterranean-style eating is probably the gold standard here: plenty of vegetables, legumes, whole foods, healthy fats, adequate protein and fiber, with room for enjoyment.\u201d<\/p>\n
DASH-style diets and well-designed plant-forward diets may accomplish the same goals, he said, adding that keto diets are effective when they emphasize nutrient-dense foods, fiber and high-quality fats.<\/p>\n
Protein and fiber improve satiety and nutritional density while \u201cthoughtful\u201d sugar reduction reduces caloric and glycemic load without consumers having to give up the foods they enjoy, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat matters because the best diet on paper is worthless if someone abandons it in six weeks,\u201d King said.<\/p>\n
Walnuts are a good fit in the Mediterranean diet as they contain 2.5 grams of monounsaturated fat, 13 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 4 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber in a 1-oz serving, said Jennifer Olmstead, senior director of US marketing and communications for the California Walnut Board and Commission in Folsom, Calif.<\/p>\n
\u201cWalnuts are a whole food ingredient that can contribute to a filling meal,\u201d she said. \u201cTheir applications range from salad toppings to charcuterie board accoutrements, along with baking and snack inclusions that create satiety upon consumption. These can increase the satisfaction of indulgences and sweet treats and justify the calories with the sensation of feeling full.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018Nutritional triage\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n Food manufacturers may reach consumers managing their weight through front-of-pack promotions, the Nutrition Facts Panel and the ingredients list.<\/p>\n King said consumers examine products on the shelf through a \u201cthree-second nutritional triage.\u201d On the front of the package, they look for signals such as high in protein, good source of fiber, low or no added sugar, lower carbohydrate levels, and calories per serving. On the back of the package, consumers check the numbers on the Nutrition Facts Panel to see if they support the marketing.<\/p>\n \u201cFor weight management specifically, I think the conversation is shifting from simply asking, \u2018How few calories does this have?\u2019 toward \u2018What am I getting for those calories?\u2019\u201d King said. \u201cProtein and fiber provide a much more compelling nutritional value proposition than empty calories, particularly as consumers become more focused on satiety, maintaining lean mass and controlling added sugar.\u201d<\/p>\n He noted that consumers \u201cplay detective\u201d when analyzing the ingredient list, searching for recognizable protein sources, meaningful fibers, and reduced added sugars and sweetening systems that deliver the experience of sugar.<\/p>\n Consumers may “play detective” when analyzing the ingredient list.<\/p>\n <\/span> | Source: Sosland Publishing Co.<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n \u201cThat is where food formulators have a tremendous opportunity: Don\u2019t just formulate a product that can make an attractive front-of-package claim,\u201d King said. \u201cBuild the nutritional architecture so that when consumers turn the package around, the back of the package validates the promise on the front.\u201d<\/p>\n Jones said consumers tend to make purchasing decisions based on the front of the package, but she encourages them to turn the package over to find details such as serving size, calories, protein, fiber, added sugar and saturated fat.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what gives you the bigger picture,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Consumers should look for recognizable nutrient-dense items at the top of the ingredient list, Jones said. If a product has 37 ingredients, and a consumer does not understand the first 10 ingredients, that\u2019s a red flag. In processed cereal, consumers should be wary if sugar is among the first 10 ingredients.<\/p>\n A different GLP-1 market<\/strong><\/p>\n Much food marketing has focused on attracting users of GLP-1 medications, but what about consumers who cannot take those medications, either because of side effects or financial constraints?<\/p>\n \u201cFor people that can\u2019t afford or don\u2019t have access to it, I really focus on foods that can help with fullness and really make it easier to manage your portions and overall calorie intake,\u201d Jones said.<\/p>\n James Stone, vice president of global marketing and insights at Glanbia, pointed to a poll published in 2025 by the Kaiser Family Foundation showing that 56% of current or former GLP-1 users said the drugs were difficult to afford. Fourteen percent said they no longer took the drugs because of cost.<\/p>\n Food and supplements may stimulate the body\u2019s natural production of GLP-1, Stone said, mentioning quality proteins like eggs, whey protein, chicken and fish; soluble fiber like chia seeds; insoluble fiber like psyllium; fermented food such as Greek yogurt, kefir, cabbage and cottage cheese; and foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like olive oil, avocados, salmon and flax seeds.<\/p>\n \u201cOn the GLP-1 front, new product launches over the past two years have favored some type of GLP-1 claim, which can be limiting unless used as a reaffirmation versus being the primary claim,\u201d Stone said. \u201cGLP-1 users actually prefer the package to highlight the nutrient density or absence of negative aspects of the product they are choosing. For a desired broader claim, a message emphasizing weight management support is helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n Jones, however, warned against comparing food or ingredients to having the same effect on the body\u2019s GLP-1 as the medications.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are basically suggesting that the food can duplicate the effects of these medications, but they can\u2019t,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n King provided similar caution.<\/p>\n \u201cFor consumers who cannot afford or don\u2019t have access to GLP-1 medications, food becomes an incredibly important tool, but we should be careful not to market food as nature\u2019s Ozempic,\u201d he said. \u201cNo ingredient reproduces the pharmacology of these medications. What we can do is build an eating pattern around some of the same outcomes consumers are seeking: greater satiety, better portion control, preservation of lean mass and improved metabolic health.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" KANSAS CITY \u2014 Quick-fix diets may work for a few weeks but soon fade in effectiveness. Consumers could choose another path on their weight management journeys: Make lifestyle changes and find eating patterns that are more sustainable. Food companies may interest those consumers by offering nutrient-dense products and promoting the attributes on packages. Lisa Jones, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":101,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-100","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diets-weight-loss"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernfitnessguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernfitnessguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernfitnessguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernfitnessguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernfitnessguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=100"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/modernfitnessguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernfitnessguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/101"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernfitnessguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=100"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernfitnessguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=100"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernfitnessguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=100"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"1label.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/www.foodbusinessnews.net\/ext\/resources\/2026\/09\/24\/1label.jpg?1790265628\")
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