Readings of the anti-diet movement


In recent years, in different mass media as well as in scientific media, speeches grouped under the name of “anti-diet movement” have been disclosed. This is partially based on some scientific findings about the relationship between weight, food and health, and in other cases, on the movements on “body positivity”, health in all sizes (health in all sizes ) and other denominations that add to the basic idea that living life following restrictive diets to lose weight is not sustainable, due, among other issues, to the fact that different studies have shown that eventually people regain partial or total gain, the kilos lost.

The theme behind all this is that, finally, it is not a movement in the sociological sense of the term, but rather a trend that, deep down, is made up of different micro-trends that, on some occasions, could be complementary, but on others, also very contradictory. The issue of kilos of body weight is not new, since scientifically it was already studied since the 60s that body composition was more important to maintain health than kilos of body weight. The simplification of the message for mass audiences focused on public health advice warning about the vigilance of maintaining a “healthy weight”. To this is also added that on many occasions the search for a specific silhouette is for aesthetic reasons and social acceptance, rather than for health reasons.

Given the panorama of our food in recent decades, the discourses around the “anti-diet” issue are very varied, and it is necessary to carefully break down each one of them, not only to analyze the arguments behind each one of them, but also the scientific evidence that supports them. Sometimes there are arguments of a scientific nature that have to do with health, in others, they are arguments of a social or psychological nature, which have to do with the processes of acceptance of the body by locals and strangers, more for reasons of aesthetic ideals. There are even within this whole scheme, treatment proposals in which the change of habits is induced in a sustainable way, and not the following of an eating plan that will not be sustainable for a long period of time for the person who decided to improve their diet. and your health. Under all these premises, all the commercial and profit opportunities that can fit under the term “anti diets” are included later.

The paradox of the situation is that some of these products and services end up being based on the principle of energy expenditure, that is, that the calories consumed must be less than the calories used by the body to cause an energy deficit and loss of weight. In many cases they are based on lists of allowed and not allowed foods, which again makes people feel that they are under restrictive diets. Although the culture of diets has caused damage to many people in their relationship with food and health, multidisciplinary approaches that take into account other life factors are essential for healthy lifestyles to be sustainable over time. , without people resorting to tactics of prohibition or excess of the food they eat.

Liliana Martinez Lomeli

Food and society columnist

POINT AND HOW

Food and society columnist. Gastronaut, observer and foodie. She is a researcher in sociology of food, nutritionist. She is president and founder of Funalid: Foundation for Food and Development.



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