Diet therapy is the planned use of nutrition to manage, prevent, and treat diseases while promoting overall health and recovery. It involves selecting appropriate foods, nutrients, and meal patterns based on an individual’s medical condition, age, lifestyle, and nutritional needs. Diet therapy is an essential component of healthcare and is commonly used alongside medical treatment to improve patient outcomes.
This approach focuses on modifying normal diets to support the body’s healing processes and maintain balance. Diet therapy may include controlling calories, adjusting carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals, or restricting certain foods to manage conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, malnutrition, gastrointestinal disorders, and cardiovascular diseases. Proper diet therapy helps reduce complications, strengthen immunity, and enhance quality of life.
Diet therapy also emphasizes education and long-term healthy eating habits. By teaching individuals how to make informed food choices, it supports disease prevention, weight management, and overall wellness. In clinical and community settings, diet therapy plays a vital role in promoting sustainable health and supporting effective healthcare practices.
