Why the Diet Industry Is Crumbling — And Why That Might Be a Good Thing
Let’s be honest: the diet industry is having a bit of a meltdown. And not the cute kind where someone cries softly into their kale smoothie — I’m talking full-blown existential crisis.
As a nutritional therapist, I’ve had a front-row seat to the carnage. Over the years, I’ve watched people — many of them smart, capable, and deeply self-aware — cycle through the revolving door of fad diets, guilt-laced “accountability” groups, and moralised food language (yes, we’re looking at you, “sins” list). All in the name of health, but really in pursuit of a smaller waistline.
Now, the conversation is finally shifting. The recent buzz on social media about the collapse of diet culture? It’s not just hype — it’s a reflection of something deeper happening. We're not only seeing the rise of medications like Ozempic; we’re witnessing a cultural unravelling of decades’ worth of shame-based health messaging. And honestly? About time.
The Problem with the Old Paradigm
The traditional weight loss model — restrict, punish, repeat — has always been more rooted in control than care. Calorie-counting apps and slimming clubs might have helped people “stay accountable,” but for many, that accountability was indistinguishable from guilt and anxiety. Studies have repeatedly shown that restrictive diets can increase cortisol (our lovely stress hormone), which ironically makes weight loss harder in the long term.¹
Plus, let’s not forget the rebound effect: research indicates that 80–95% of people regain the weight they lose within 1–5 years.² That’s not a willpower problem. That’s a systems failure. A metabolic and psychological backlash to being told for the tenth time that bananas are “naughty” and you should be eating boiled chicken with a side of regret.
Enter the New Era (and Yes, Ozempic Is Part of the Story)
So what’s changed? For one, the rise of new tech platforms like Zoe has reframed how we think about food — offering personalised, microbiome-informed nutrition that focuses more on how your body feels than what it weighs. This is progress. It invites curiosity over control, and connection over compliance.
But like anything, it’s not immune to being co-opted. The risk is that we end up applying new science with the same old mindset — scanning our gut health reports with the same nervous energy once reserved for the Slimming World weigh-in.
And then there's Ozempic, the much-hyped medication that's quickly become a household name. It suppresses appetite and helps regulate blood sugar — great tools for some, especially those with Type 2 diabetes. But its viral popularity as a “weight loss wonder drug” has also made it a symbol of just how desperate many people are for relief.
Relief from what? From years of internalised messages that their body, as it is, is a problem to be solved. Not a complex, intelligent system to be nourished.
So What Actually Works?
Spoiler alert: It’s not sexy. It’s not “drop two dress sizes in a weekend.” But it is science-backed and sustainable.
In nutritional therapy, we work from the ground up. That means supporting:
Blood sugar balance (goodbye mood swings and energy crashes)
Gut and liver health (digestion is where everything begins — including hormones)
Nervous system regulation (because chronic stress makes weight loss nearly impossible)
Sleep and circadian rhythms (sleep is free and incredibly powerful)
Muscle-preserving movement (think lifting things and carrying them across rooms heroically)
And yes — we talk about food. Real food. Food that grows, swims, or grazes. We focus on nutrient density, not deprivation. On eating in ways that match your biology, not an Instagram trend. Because when your body feels safe and supported, it often finds its own healthy weight — no shame, no tracking apps, no kale-induced crying.
The Emotional Shift: From Control to Connection
Here’s the part the diet industry rarely talks about: for many people, food is emotional. And that’s okay. Food is culture, comfort, memory. But decades of being told that eating pasta is a moral failing has left a lot of people with a fractured relationship to their plate.
Healing that relationship requires more than rules — it requires reconnection. With your hunger signals. With your sleep patterns. With your stress levels. With your actual life.
One client said to me recently, “I used to think about food all the time. Now I just… eat.” That’s the goal. Not obsession. Not overcorrection. Just calm, confident choices that don’t derail your entire week if you happen to have a croissant on a Wednesday.
So… Is This the Death of Diet Culture?
Maybe not quite. But it’s definitely a wobble. And for many, it might finally feel like permission to try something different.
Instead of focusing on weight loss as a goal, we can start focusing on:
Energy
Mood
Digestion
Sleep
Mental clarity
Peace with food
And if weight loss happens as a result of those things? Great. If it doesn’t? Your body is still more than worthy of respect and care.
Final Thoughts (And a Tiny Pep Talk)
If you’ve felt burnt out by diet culture — you’re not alone. If you’re tired of micromanaging every bite, every weigh-in, every side-eye from your fitness watch… you are so ready for this next chapter.
Because the fall of the old system isn’t a failure. It’s freedom.
And you deserve more than a life of “shoulds” and “sins.” You deserve a body that feels strong, stable, and supported — and a relationship with food that’s rooted in knowledge, not fear.
So here’s to science, not shame. To nourishment, not numbers. And to the quiet revolution that’s replacing restriction with respect.
Let it crumble. Something better is already being built.
References:
Tomiyama, A. J., Schamarek, I., Lustig, R. H., & Epel, E. (2010). The effects of dieting on cortisol levels: A meta-analysis. Psychosomatic Medicine, 72(3), 386–393.
https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0b013e3181d9523cMann, T., Tomiyama, A. J., Westling, E., Lew, A. M., Samuels, B., & Chatman, J. (2007). Medicare’s search for effective obesity treatments: Diets are not the answer. American Psychologist, 62(3), 220–233.
https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.62.3.220Gak, L., Olojo, S., & Salehi, N. (2022). The Distressing Ads That Persist: Uncovering The Harms of Targeted Weight-Loss Ads Among Users with Histories of Disordered Eating. arXiv preprint.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2204.03200Sánchez, C., Mishra, S., Choudhury, M., & Weber, I. (2024). Feelings about Bodies: Emotions on Diet and Fitness Forums Reveal Gendered Stereotypes and Body Image Concerns. arXiv preprint.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.03551Drugwatch (2024). Ozempic Side Effects: Common, Serious & Management Tips.
https://www.drugwatch.com/drugs/ozempic/side-effects/WebMD (2024). Ozempic Side Effects.
https://www.webmd.com/obesity/ozempic-side-effectsTwoHourTop (2024).