When we think of nutrition, it’s easy to focus on supplements, diet plans, eating patterns, and weight loss. However, this is not all that nutrition encompasses. It also involves our relationship with food and our bodies, two factors that are closely connected to an individual’s sense of mental wellness.
In today’s world, we are constantly bombarded with messaging about being “healthy”. But what exactly does that mean? Let’s explore what true health means, and how external factors shape our understanding of it.
The Pressure to Be “Healthy”
Societal influences like social media, celebrities, politics, family, and even the healthcare system place emphasis on an ideal body size and shape – that achieving a certain look is synonymous with health. These ideas are oversimplified and fail to consider the systemic issues that affect our overall health.
Weight Stigma and Bias
Weight stigma has a profound impact on one’s health. The bias against people of larger sizes is deeply ingrained in our culture and is taught to us from a young age. We might recognize our own inherent weight bias when we have thoughts or beliefs like:
- “Fat is unhealthy.”
- “Obesity is a disease.”
- “Larger bodies are a problem that need to be fixed.”
Contrary to these beliefs a person in a larger body may be practicing many health promoting behaviors and could have a healthier blood panel or cardiovascular health, for example, than someone in a smaller body. Body diversity is a normal part of being a human being. We cannot accurately determine someone’s health based solely on their body size.
Dieting for “Health”
When it comes to dieting to change our body size, there is no evidence to support that dieting sustains long-term weight loss. In most people, the weight is regained once restrictive diets or strict exercise protocols are discontinued. In addition, yo-yo dieting (weight cycling) and extreme caloric restriction can harm our mental, emotional, and physical health. Some of the negative impacts of dieting include:
- Increased risk of developing an eating disorder
- Damage to cardiometabolic and hormonal health
- Detrimental impacts on bone health
The Reality of Being in Control of our Health
We are often told that we can improve our health through diet, exercise, and supplements. While these things do have impacts, they are only a small piece of the puzzle. The social determinants of health (SDOH) have a much larger influence. Some of these include:
- Genetics
- Access to healthcare
- Socioeconomic factors (employment, education, income, etc.)
- Social support and community
- Health behaviours (diet, physical activity, smoking, substance use, sleep, etc.)
What many of us don’t know is that health behaviours like diet and physical activity only contribute to about 10% of our overall health status (Hood et al., 2015) (Park et al., 2015).
The multi-billion-dollar health and wellness industry profits from our fixation on weight and body image. It capitalizes on our insecurities by focusing on the small percentage that we do have control over,while ignoring the much larger factors impacting our health.
The Bigger Picture
The pressure to be a certain size or shape can have far-reaching mental health consequences for people of all sizes. Some of these consequences include:
- Chronic dieting and disordered eating patterns
- Increased rates of eating disorders
- Compulsive exercise behaviors
- Body dysmorphia and distorted body image
It’s important to recognize that even when we’re doing everything “right”—eating healthy, exercising, and following advice—we may still not feel well. The guilt, shame and anxiety that accompany certain behaviours around food and exercise can have the very opposite outcomes for our health.
By stepping back and considering the broader factors influencing our health, we can make decisions that align with our personal values and better honor our bodies. True health isn’t just about weight loss or following the latest diet trend—it’s about understanding the complex systems that affect our well-being and making choices that are sustainable and respectful of who we are.
If you are interested in exploring your own relationship with food and your body our Registered Dietitian, Megan Hoffman would be happy to meet you. She offers free virtual 15-minute meet and greets to discuss your needs. Please contact us at 780-800-7108 or book online HERE.
[Written by, Megan Hoffman, Registered Dietitian]
References:
Hood, Carlyn M et al. “County Health Rankings: Relationships Between Determinant Factors and Health Outcomes.” American journal of preventive medicine vol. 50,2 (2016): 129-35. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2015.08.024
Park, Hyojun et al. “Relative Contributions of a Set of Health Factors to Selected Health Outcomes.” American journal of preventive medicine vol. 49,6 (2015): 961-9. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2015.07.016