Only a handful of activities are not optional for humans. The only activity more urgent than consuming food is probably breathing. Nothing else seems more important for our survival. We must eat but also, we want to eat. Food is one of the few true joys we have in life as well. If we can eat well, we can be happier. If we can eat well, we can be healthier, smarter, more successful, etc.
While probably everyone agrees on the necessity of eating well, it is not at all clear what is the perfectly balanced diet that is the pinnacle of eating well. There are certain foods that become popular in waves across time. There are some food items that are well known to be bad for us, such as sugary sodas, alcohol, and high-fat fried foods. These are either calorie dense or exceptionally low in fiber and other nutrients.
Ironically, most healthy foods do not taste as good for people who regularly consume unhealthy food. This is probably because they are not as sweet or dense in calories. We are given a choice. Either consume the foods that will make you healthier but maybe not taste as good or consume unhealthy foods and enjoy the moment but later face the consequences. This diabolical test of willpower is now one of the most important problems the humankind is facing. There are wars and other sources of human suffering, but these are mainly connected to having access to more consumption by different groups on earth. Leaving aside the fact that most humans do not need access to more consumption, the effects and hazards posed by war on a global scale are dwarfed by the problems caused by obesity.
How do we navigate our way around this issue? Most people do not like to invest and plan on longer terms like decades. They like to enjoy their lives now. They want to eat the food they know they will like now, rather than eat something that will reduce the possibility of heart surgery after twenty-five years have passed. Some people would choose shorter lives and having more health complications in the distant future, even though they would most likely regret their decision when the time comes.
A healthy balanced diet is elusive. This is not because we do not know what is healthy, but people are left alone in their search for food. They are asked to fight against the corporations who do not care about the health implications of the food they are selling. One might argue that forcing the corporations to switch to a healthier food selection would only hurt their business and people would get the food they like regardless. This may be true. However, we also know that some people do not eat unhealthily, and they seem to be completely happy with their decisions. How can they achieve making this the norm?
The answer lies in habits and getting used to certain kinds of food. If a central kitchen serves food that is healthy, it can establish a better diet preference, and this would be difficult to change as well. It is no secret that people in some countries or regions of the world prefer sweeter foods than others. Some of these countries are as diverse as they can be. Therefore, this preference cannot be directly connected to genetics or culture either. This is more related to the quality and type of food available. In the past, people in poor countries were thin and malnourished because they did not have access to sufficient amounts of it in general. These times have passed. Today, even a lot of poor people are obese. Our new fight is not against hunger, but it is against the immediate satisfaction of our basest urges related to food.