YOU, YOUR. DOCTOR, AND NUTRITION

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NESTLE: Well, perhaps that's a bit unfair to physicians . . . most doctors are fairly well trained in such technical subjects as carbohydrate biochemistry and metabolic functions. But they generally don't know how to apply that textbook knowledge in a way that's useful to people. In other words, they fail to relate that basic information to their patients' actual eating habits and diets. They need to understand, for example, the importance of the differences between foods that contain starch and those that contain sugar. When a patient asks a question concerning nutrition—about, for instance, which foods are and are not beneficial to that particular individual—the doc tor should be able to provide a practical, meaningful answer.

Plus, since proper diet plays an important preventive and curative role in many diseases, a physician should be cognizant of what is known—and not known—about dietary approaches to dealing with common chronic illnesses such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Nutritionists and dieticians are especially trained to counsel patients on eating habits, so doctors should know when and how to refer patients to such experts.

FERGUSON: Isn't recommending a balanced diet a commonsense first step?

NESTLE: Absolutely. The evidence is increasingly clear that the dietary goals and guidelines established by the McGovern committee and the U.S. Department of Agriculture represent a unified approach to both normal—that is, preventive—and therapeutic diets. Generally, the same food regimen that's best for health is also the one to recommend to people with heart disease, diabetes, or obesity.

FERGUSON: What, exactly, is this "unified" dietary approach?

NESTLE: It's simple enough: Eat unprocessed foods that are high in complex carbohydrates and in fiber . . . such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grain cereals. Go easy on the fat, salt, and sugar. And eat a wide range of foods. Variety is important because foods differ in the kinds and amounts of nutrients they contain, so consuming an assortment of comestibles—and I'm speaking here of non-junk foods, with high nutrient densities—can help a person be sure that he or she is getting all of the necessary nutrients.

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