THE FIT-OR-FAT TARGET DIET

Not a weight-loss regimen as such, but a worthwhile way of thinking about nutrition that could vastly improve diet and overall health. Bailey has argued on the sane side of dietary improvement before (Fit or Fat?, 1978); here, he sets out a framework which readers can use to evaluate their own nutritional intakes--or any other regimen they come across. First, he explains the simple basics of a ""perfect"" diet: it should be balanced (including a wide variety of foods), low in fat, low in sugar, and high in fiber. If these four rules are followed, advises Bailey, all other common dietary concerns (cholesterol, saturated fats, additives, and the like) will also be dealt with. Bailey then describes his ""target"": a diagram of concentric circles into which readers can place all the foods in their current diets, and then see exactly what changes must be made to improve. The innermost--desirable--circle, for instance, includes whole grains, most fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and non-meat proteins. Such foods as suet, sugar, and butter (""butter isn't a food at all--it's grease extracted from a food called milk"") are outside the circles altogether. With such a diagram in hand, and assisted by Bailey's abundant reference charts, readers can see clearly how to upgrade their own food intake. The benefits of such a diet have been copiously described elsewhere; Bailey's advice will be a boost to those who need graphic illustrations and instruction on exactly where to make changes.