As women, most of us have been subject to other people’s opinions about our bodies and the way we look. Ever since we were little, the way people have spoken to us were mainly commenting on how beautiful we are, how our dress is so cute, told us to smile and to be nice while looking good, as well as telling boys how fast they can run or how they’re so strong and able: see the difference? Even though I was never overweight, according to the BMI calculator, I would still mentally punish myself for gaining a few kilograms, and even my own family comments on my appearance and how I should lose weight when I gain some to this day. I don’t blame or judge anyone for having these thoughts – our society and mass media quite literally conditions us to see this way. If we open an article about a woman in most major magazines or newspapers, most adjectives used to describe someone will be about their looks, pictures of celebrities in their bikinis showing off their non photoshopped bodies will be criticized: how dare they look like normal humans?! Not to mention social media and lots of accounts supporting unhealthy eating habits and encouraging weight loss. Seeing and hearing all these things daily will subconsciously frame our beliefs and worldview, making it quite hard to change it. With that said, what is the impact on our bodies and mental health caused by dieting for the purpose of losing weight and what are some ways and behaviours we can adapt instead?
· It damages our perception of what a healthy body should look like. Just because someone is thin – does not mean they’re healthy. Diet culture promotes an idolized view of being thin and ignores what really matters: healthy eating habits and listening to your own body. People that are overweight or obese mig
ht also be prescribed what would be considered an eating disorder for someone that is thin. As for eating disorders, highly restrictive diets that might be prescribed to an overweight person might give the wrong idea ‘for not-fat people with eating disorders who are given the message that if they were fat their eating disorder behaviours would not just be appropriate, but beneficial and doctor approved, and for fat people with eating disorders who are given behaviour prescriptions that celebrate their eating disorders and make them even more entrenched.’, National Eating Disorders Association states. So, diet culture is not only making us believe that the only way to be healthy is to be thin, but also that the same behaviour that would be considered an eating disorder for one weight might be medically approved for another body type, therefore ‘When you see someone pathologizing fat bodies, you can explain that there are healthy and unhealthy people of every shape and size, and that adding healthism to sizeism is not a good look.’.
· It makes us believe we can cheat or change our genetics. That’s right – our body weight is hugely dependent on our genetics. No matter what latest strict diet one might try to lose weight, some people will just struggle more than others. Previous studies from the New England Journal of Medicine have even shown how genetics heavily influence one's weight. ‘Up to 70% of our genetics determine our weight and body type, for reference, 80% of our genetics determine our height’, says Poriano ‘Leaving the rest to upbringing and learned habits, so it's truly not YOUR fault for being overweight, and actually your body would prefer to live at its 'overweight' weight because that's where it will optimally function.’ Therefore, not everyone is meant to be thin and that’s okay. All bodies shapes are beautiful. Instead, we should listen to our bodies and focus on the quality of the food we eat, eliminating sugars and refined grains, burning fat in-between meals (yes, no snacking) and introducing simple forms or intermittent fasting, for example, eating earlier in the day and avoiding eating before bed. This way we can maintain a healthy diet in a sustainable way.
· It damages our confidence and self-worth. Overweight or obese people are often viewed as disgusting and are being shamed by society. One does not need to look far, just read a common comments section on social media. As National Eating Disorders Association mentions, ‘people actually believe that a thin body is more attractive, more worthy, and better than a fat body, and behave accordingly, leading to size-based oppression, including internalized oppression.’ This would understandably make any person who does not meet the ‘norm’ feel inadequate, unattractive, and unworthy. No body shape should have to determine a person’s worthiness and living in a world that accommodates thinner people does not help. ‘If you expect that you can enter a restaurant, public transportation, roller coaster, doctor’s waiting room, Broadway play, or flight and find a seat that accommodates you, you have thin privilege.’ Says Ragen. What we can do to change this is to have conversations with one another, changing our ways towards fat phobia on planes/public transport and sign petitions as well as getting involved in activism.
Thus, here are three reasons why diet culture is toxic and what can we do to challenge it, however, there are many more. It also deprives our bodies of nutrients, leads to unhealthy eating patterns, creates an unhealthy relationship with food and overall damages our physical and mental health. The sooner we start implementing systematic change, the better. So, my friend, let’s all be a part of it.
Such a good informative article about Diet Culture. Really made me second guess my own attitudes towards body weight and what needs to change. 😀