How Dieting, or Over-Emphasising ‘Healthy Eating’ Leads to Eating Disorders

Taking care of our physical health is important, and there is no doubt that the food we eat has an important influence on our physical and mental wellbeing. I have a very holistic approach to mental health, and often talk to my clients experiencing depression and anxiety about adding foods in to their diet that are shown to boost positive mood. It has saddened me however that as science have discovered more ways that food influences our health, the marketing machine behind the diet industry has jumped on board. We are bombarded with ‘better’ ways to eat, are witness to sensationalist headlines about foods that are dangerous, and are sold ‘life changing ‘diets that will, well, change our lives. Add these messages to a society that idealises a thin body image, use words like “guilt free” when selling a product, and we have the starting ingredients for the perfect storm.

As a psychologist who specialises in eating disorders I often hear my clients say, “I just started by trying to eat a bit more healthily…” They have often turned to the diet industry and followed a particular movement such as “going paleo”, “cutting out sugar”, or “low carbs”. From early on certain foods are ascribed moral value, there are rules abound, and the health conscious individuals find themselves anxious when faced with “bad” food, a sense of shame if they dare to ‘indulge’, and pride when they resist. Even early on the shift towards healthy eating can see people shift from elation following a “good day” and high levels of self-criticism when they perceived they have failed.

So why does this happen, and why can being ‘healthy’ have such horrific consequences? Research shows that individuals who have internalized the “thin ideal” are more vulnerable to eating disorders. Sadly here in Australia up to 75 % of high school girls believe they are fat. Sadly most adult women I know also express at least a moderate level of body dissatisfaction. Most of these people will turn to the health and diet industry to ‘fix’ this ‘problem’. Add psychological factors such as perfectionism, anxiety, low self-esteem, or obsessiveness and it is likely that once dieting or healthy eating starts, the dieter will aim to perfectly follow the ridged set of rules their chosen plan prescribes. Sadly this often results in declining social events, eating alone, spending much of the day preoccupied with food, and feeling anxious when there is no “safe” or “clean” food available. These diets usually prescribe a calorie count that is well under what an average adult needs to survive, or cut out food groups that are essential for the body. Read More…

Sponsor Ads

• Ad Space Available - Rent it Now!

Report this Page

Created on Dec 31st 1969 18:00. Viewed 0 times.

Share on APSense

Comments