The dangers of diet culture

This article discusses diets and restrictive eating. If you are struggling with an eating disorder please reach out to a mental health professional. The NEDA helpline, (800) 931-2237, can be used for support, resources and treatment options for such conditions.

Present on most media platforms and infiltrating nearly every conversation about appearance or weight, diet culture has become a standard in the current world. Simply defined, diet culture is a set of beliefs that prioritizes thinness and attractiveness over health and well-being. This outlook can manifest as demonizing certain foods, partaking in extreme diets or as self-deprecating talk. Unfortunately, the ideas promoted by diet culture are so pervasive that most have probably experienced thoughts or feelings caused by it without recognizing the source, like feeling guilty after eating fast food or being insecure because of  weight fluctuations. These audiences fall victim to thinking negatively about their bodies, causing them to turn to unhealthy measures to meet the newly founded standards. 

An estimated 45 million Americans go on a diet annually, spending nearly $33 billion each year on weight-loss products. With its ironclad grip on the market and society, it’s worth evaluating the impact of diet culture on the population. 

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, those who dieted moderately were five times more likely to develop an eating disorder, while those who restricted food intake extremely were 18 times more likely. While eating disorders come in many different forms, they usually include a severe obsession with food and weight. Fueled by perpetual messaging about their looks, individuals that are young and impressionable or struggle with insecurities are especially susceptible to feeling strained in their relationship with food. These conditions are far from benign, with studies agreeing that eating disorders have the highest death rates among all mental illnesses. 

As a whole, diet culture deserves much more discussion than what is offered here. This is little more than an introduction to the topic and a warning to how we approach matters of health. However, this conversation is not meant to discourage individuals from improving their eating patterns or changing harmful behaviors. There are real professionals, like nutritionists, that are more than equipped to help in improving personal health. More than anything, this should serve as a challenge to what society is telling us. Boycotting bread isn’t the secret to being comfortable in our skin. The value of a person is not derived from the size of their bicep or the measurement of their waist. Happiness and fulfillment aren’t found in the pursuit of a beauty standard. We are all made with a purpose and maintain a worth that is independent of any physical feature. 

By Nicole Hardt