‘Diet’ refers to the food you eat, and can also mean an attempt to reduce your weight by eating fewer calories a day.

Collocations:

• a balanced diet (a diet consisting of a variety of different types of food that have enough of the nutrients necessary for good health).
• to go on a diet / be on a diet (to eat fewer calories a day in order to lose weight)

Types of food:

• junk food (food with low nutritional value, often not good for you)
• fast food (food served quickly after ordering – not necessarily junk food)
• ready meals (meals that are prepared and often only need to be microwaved or placed in the oven)
• snack food (small amounts of food eaten either between meals or as a replacement for a meal, e.g. nuts or fruit)
• GM food / genetically modified food (food which has been scientifically modified)

Attitudes to food:

• vegan (a person who does not eat meat or dairy products like milk or eggs)
• vegetarian (a person who does not eat meat – can also include people who also do not eat fish)
• pescatarian (a person who eats fish but does not eat meat)

Medical impact of a poor diet:

• obesity (being overweight)
• morbid obesity (overweight to the point that it is likely to cause premature death)
• high blood pressure (a condition often caused by excess salt in food)
• malnutrition (either not enough food, or not enough of the right things)