DEAR DR. BLONZ: For the three years since leaving graduate school, I have been attempting to start my own business, and my job has become more intense. In college, I visited the gym, worked out and ate well, but now I have no time to exercise, except a bit of walking.

I am most concerned about my diet. I’m constantly eating fast food or convenience food, as there is no time to cook. I usually rush out in the morning with very little to eat, then I literally don’t eat again until I come home eight or nine hours later, unless I am lucky enough to pass a fast-food store. At home, I make phone calls and then eat my dinner at 11 p.m. or later. I am still young, so I am hoping that my body will be forgiving during this phase of my career. My girlfriend is quite concerned, and it is affecting our relationship, so I wanted to ask: How dangerous is what I am doing? -- R.T., St. Louis, Missouri

DEAR R.T.: I understand these concerns, and it is good you are looking for answers. It must be difficult for one who knows better ways to find himself immersed in a lifestyle that has wandered far afield from previously healthful habits.

How dangerous are your current habits, you ask? That’s a difficult question to answer with certainty, because much depends on elements such as your age, weight, genetics and any pre-existing risk factors.

It is not uncommon to find ourselves in an “investment phase” at work, where intense dedication is needed to open doors and even create new ones. But you’ve been at it for three years, and I am hoping there is an end -- or at least a gearshift -- in sight. I apologize for all this lecturing, and I have no idea what you do for a living, but I would imagine -- or should I say, hope -- that the payoff will be sufficient to justify these current travails.

The good news is that there are obvious remedies at your disposal, and “nudges” you can make to your torrid lifestyle. All you need is the wherewithal to make the changes.

As regards your diet, most markets now offer a wide variety of fresh, whole foods, as well as a host of other culinary delights beyond quickie restaurants. You can keep dried fruits, nuts and seeds in your desk, and you might see if there is room for a refrigerator in your workspace. If so, you can stock it with healthy snacks such as fruits, cut-up vegetables, yogurt and juices. This would make you less of a slave to vending machines and fast-food fixes.

For food outside work, I suggest sprucing up your breakfast. Get a higher-fiber cereal or some yogurt, and try to have fresh fruit with your meal. If strapped for time, consider taking advantage of the new crop of food delivery services that can bring healthful prepared meals to your location. On an off day, you might even consider a cooking class. This would help you learn to cook in less time, using healthier ingredients, and you could even take the leftovers to work the next day!

Other important points: Devote more time to physical activities and to getting the sleep your body needs. Start making slow-but-sure changes today. Consider setting up a series of rewards for goals set and achieved. Keep in mind that a lifestyle full of unhealthful habits has a way of setting itself on autopilot.

Send questions to: “On Nutrition,” Ed Blonz, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I am aware of the dangers of trans fats, but I am also concerned that some foods, like shortening, still use hydrogenated fats. Are these any better than the trans fats in partially hydrogenated shortening? One brand now uses “fully hydrogenated,” rather than partially. Is that better or worse for cooking? -- F.C., San Jose, California

DEAR F.C.: The quick explanation is that a fully hydrogenated shortening does not have any trans fats. Imagine a road stretching between an unprocessed, unsaturated liquid vegetable oil and a solid block of fully hydrogenated fat. On this road, partially hydrogenated fats are somewhere in the middle. The important issue here is that the process of partial hydrogenation is what creates trans fatty acids, or TFAs, which are unsaturated fatty acids that have an unusual structure causing a range of health problems in the body.

Partially hydrogenated oils used for deep-frying are different from those used in baking, breading or candy coatings. Blends with different proportions of TFAs might be more spreadable, have an increased shelf life or have some other desired feature, but the advantages of these artificial fats are all on the manufacturer’s side of the equation. They provide no health benefits for the human body.

Due to their negative health effects, and the lack of any upside, the Food and Drug Administration began requiring trans fats to be declared on food labels. With the advent of having to reveal the number of grams per serving, food processors sought other methods to make their fats spreadable.

In one method, known as interesterification (IE), food processors use oils together with fully hydrogenated fats and create a mixture with the desired characteristics. It’s not something you can do at home with a measuring cup. This type of reconfiguration involves shuffling fatty acids around on triglycerides using enzymes or chemical catalysts. Many hydrogenated -- but trans fat-free -- shortenings on the market are made this way.

IE has been available to food processors for a while, but since it was less costly to keep using partial hydrogenation, and there was no public outcry for alternatives, it was not widely used until recently. Fully hydrogenated products made using IE can have zero trans fats -- or, from a regulatory standpoint, less than 0.5 grams of trans fats per serving, meaning “no trans fats” can be declared on the Nutrition Facts label.

While this new family of shortenings with no trans fats is a positive development, the jury is still out as to whether the use of IE fats might also give rise to health issues. There’s also the possibility that fats naturally high in saturates, such as palm oil and coconut oil -- or even fully hydrogenated oils -- used in blends might be the way to go. Tropical oils, long suffering from a public-relations black eye, have now gotten their green card.

As for whether they’re any better or worse in the kitchen, IE shortening products have undergone performance testing, so you can expect them to be functionally comparable to the older versions. Just as there are brand-to-brand variances with other ingredients, you may need to do some testing to find the shortening that works best with your recipes. But it would be prudent to keep IE fats to a minimum, given that we don’t have a complete picture on their impact on health.

Send questions to: “On Nutrition,” Ed Blonz, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: In doing a research paper on health issues faced by indigenous peoples, I came across the issue of the Pima American Indians in Arizona, who have a very high incidence of Type 2 diabetes. Is this a genetic issue, or a dietary and lifestyle issue? -- J.D., Casa Grande, Arizona

DEAR J.D.: It’s both. The Pima appear to have a genetic component that is not serving them well under the current style of eating in the United States. It is called a thrifty genotype, and it provides survival advantages when there is an irregular food supply by conferring maximum efficiency in the processing and utilization of dietary energy (calories).

Pima Indians live in northwest Mexico and the southwestern U.S., having migrated there from remote mountainous regions in Peru, where a good number remain. In these areas, there is an inconsistent food supply throughout the year. Over the millennia, the Pima in Peru and Mexico adapted to the sparse availability of food in these regions, and as a group, they tend to be slim and do not suffer from Type 2 diabetes.

The Pima who migrated to what is now the United States, however, no longer have to cope with an irregular food supply, and are now experiencing an epidemic of obesity and Type 2 diabetes attributable to this environmental change in their diet.

Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia have been identified in the Americanized Pima Indian population. Scientists from around the world continue to study this population because it offers a rare insight into the independent roles of genes and environment on the risk of disease. Studies continue to report on the critical roles of food selection and increased physical activity in helping reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes in this population. There is an interesting discussion on this topic at b.link/pima85.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I need to up my level of dietary fiber. I want something convenient, but I am seeking taste, not cardboard. What do you consider to be the best foods that are rich in fiber? -- N.F., San Jose, California

DEAR N.F.: Americans tend to eat rather low on the fiber scale, and population studies continually find that increased consumption of dietary fiber is associated with a range of health benefits.

In terms of convenience, there’s no better way to start the day than with a bowl of fiber-rich whole-grain cereal topped by some fresh or dried fruit. Setting the requisite time aside in the morning to have a healthful breakfast can be an important adjunct to your health.

With or without the cereal, dried fruits are on my list of excellent fiber-filled foods. They are an often-overlooked fiber source with a great variety of rich fruit flavors, and the fact that they are dried gives them an extended shelf life. Combining them with various nuts and seeds, even tossing in a few dark chocolate chips and coconut flakes, makes a healthful, fiber-rich snack or mini-meal that can be available throughout the day. This mix is also a great real-food option for your child’s lunchbox.

Next, we have vegetables, whole grains and legumes (beans), all of which have a high fiber content. No cardboard on that list. Fiber supplements can have a role, but first, focus on foods naturally high in fiber. They come with an assortment of other important nutrients and phytochemicals. For more, check the FDA’s fact sheet on dietary fiber at b.link/pdf34.

Send questions to: “On Nutrition,” Ed Blonz, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.