Focus on variety can lead to eating more unhealthy foods. Here's why

Although doctors and nutrition experts have recommended “eating a variety of foods” for decades, there’s a lack of agreement on what exactly that means and whether it really is a healthy option, according to a new American Heart Association Science Advisory.

Recent studies suggest that diet diversity is associated with poor eating habits that include processed foods, refined grains and sugary drinks and not eating minimally-processed foods such as fish, fruits and vegetables. Diet diversity could lead to weight gain and obesity, the AHA Behavioural Change for Improving Health Factors Committee writes in the journal Circulation.

“While selecting a wide range of