By Hollie
Diet culture is described as a belief system that puts focus on one’s weight, body shape, and their overall size. Diet culture worships those who have the ‘ideal’ body type while those who don’t fit into this category may be left struggling with self-esteem issues or unhealthy eating habits including anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Furthermore, those involved in this way of thinking may say that this sudden change in diet or general lifestyle is purely for health reasons due to the embarrassment and lack of recognition surrounding diet culture.
So, what are the psychological effects influenced by diet culture? Feelings of distress and disappointment regarding one’s body type develop over time and influence disordered eating; these habits may start out as simply eating slightly less or slightly more than usual but then can spiral out of control into fully fledged eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, rumination disorder and ARFID (avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder).
Many studies show physical changes in the brain induced by eating disorders; MRI studies have documented a decrease in the volume of the brain of an anorexia nervosa patient. As of now, it is unclear whether this change is reversible if the weight lost is regained, which is a clear example of the damaging permanence of diet culture upon individuals both physically and mentally.
There is much to be discovered when it comes to the effects of restrictive behavior yet there is scientific evidence that the nervous system is negatively affected; it is believed that there can be disruptions in neurotransmitter behavior while different regions of the brain face structural changes due to malnutrition. Victims of diet culture may also endure a reduced heart rate which can deprive the brain of oxygen, causing seizures and numbness in the hands or feet.
To conclude, when people think of an eating disorder, restrictive habits generally come to mind yet it is clear that eating disorders are so much more than one habit. As a generation, due to the constant influence of social media, we are regularly exposed to unrealistic expectations and are vulnerable to becoming a victim of diet culture yet it is vital that we don’t give in. Being loyal to these behaviors can prove to be extremely physically and
mentally damaging and, at times, fatal; diet culture is an extremely harmful thought process that must be omitted from our lives. On an individual scale, it is vital that, if you or anyone you know appears to be struggling in the battle against diet culture and eating disorders, you seek help, yet, on a societal scale, attention must be brought to these conditions and widespread awareness must be given for those suffering in silence.
References
Healthline. 2020. Learn About 6 Common Types Of Eating Disorders And Their Symptoms.. [online] Available at: <https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/common-eating-disorders> [Accessed 1 July 2020].
The Emily Program. 2020. How Eating Disorders Affect The Neurobiology Of The Brain - The Emily Program. [online] Available at: <https://www.emilyprogram.com/blog/how-eating-disorders-affect-the-neurobiology-of-the-brain/> [Accessed 1 July 2020].
Edited by: Simoni Shah
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