tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/eating-25916/articlesEating – The Conversation2023-12-20T13:17:01Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2179902023-12-20T13:17:01Z2023-12-20T13:17:01ZDo you eat with your eyes, your gut or your brain? A neuroscientist explains how to listen to your hunger during the holidays<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566694/original/file-20231219-19-9np3p9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C2119%2C1414&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The particular stressors of the holiday season can make it difficult to listen to your body.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/cropped-closeup-photo-of-young-woman-in-red-and-royalty-free-image/1346694165">InspirationGP/iStock via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The holiday season is upon us, and with it, opportunities to indulge in festive treats. The proverbial saying “you eat with your eyes first” seems particularly relevant at this time of year. </p>
<p>The science behind eating behavior, however, reveals that the process of deciding what, when and how much to eat is far more complex than just consuming calories when your body needs fuel. Hunger cues are only part of why people choose to eat. As a scientist interested in the <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=F31UkfUAAAAJ&hl=en">psychology and biology that drives eating behavior</a>, I’m fascinated with how the brain’s experiences with food shape eating decisions. </p>
<p>So how do people decide when to eat? </p>
<h2>Eating with your eyes</h2>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandc.2015.08.006">Food-related visual cues</a> can shape feeding behaviors in both people and animals. For example, wrapping food in McDonald’s packaging is sufficient to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.161.8.792">enhance taste preferences</a> across a range of foods – from chicken nuggets to carrots – in young children. Visual food-related cues, such as presenting a light when food is delivered, can also promote <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.6836286">overeating behaviors</a> in animals by overriding energy needs.</p>
<p>In fact, a whole host of sensory stimuli – noises, smells and textures – can be associated with the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2013.01.002">pleasurable consequences of eating</a> and influence food-related decisions. This is why hearing a catchy radio jingle for a food brand, seeing a television ad for a restaurant or walking by your favorite eatery can shape your decision to consume and sometimes overindulge.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566695/original/file-20231219-23-bbv1i7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Close-up of person holding plate of gingerbread cookies" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566695/original/file-20231219-23-bbv1i7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566695/original/file-20231219-23-bbv1i7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566695/original/file-20231219-23-bbv1i7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566695/original/file-20231219-23-bbv1i7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566695/original/file-20231219-23-bbv1i7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566695/original/file-20231219-23-bbv1i7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566695/original/file-20231219-23-bbv1i7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Your senses feast on food as much as your stomach does.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/mixed-race-female-holds-plate-of-gingerbread-royalty-free-image/1360401442">Catherine McQueen/Moment via Getty Images</a></span>
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<p>However, your capacity to learn about food-related cues extends beyond just stimuli from the outside world and includes the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-122216-011643">internal milieu of your body</a>. In other words, you also tend to eat with your stomach in mind, and you do so by using the same learning and brain mechanisms involved in processing food-related stimuli from the outside world. These internal signals, also called <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/frym.2021.558246">interoceptive cues</a>, include feelings of hunger and fullness emanating from your gastrointestinal tract.</p>
<p>It’s no surprise that the signals from your gut help set the stage for when to eat, but the role these signals play is more profound than you might expect.</p>
<h2>Trust your gut</h2>
<p>Feelings of hunger or fullness act as important interoceptive cues influencing your decision-making around food. </p>
<p>To examine how interoceptive states shape eating behaviors, researchers trained laboratory rats to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.peptides.2005.02.014">associate feelings of hunger or satiety</a> with whether they receive food or not. They did this by giving rats food only when they were hungry or full, such that the rats were forced to recognize those internal cues to calculate whether food would be available or not. If a rat is trained to expect food only when hungry, it would generally avoid the area where food is available when it feels full because it does not expect to be fed.</p>
<p>However, when rats were injected with a hormone that <a href="https://doi.org/10.2337/diabetes.50.8.1714">triggers hunger</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00012.2004">called ghrelin</a>, they approached the food delivery location more frequently. This suggests that the rats used this artificial state of hunger as an interoceptive cue to predict food delivery and subsequently behaved like they expected food.</p>
<p>Interoceptive states are sufficient to shape feeding behaviors even in the absence of external sensory cues. One particularly striking example comes from mice that have been genetically engineered to be unable to taste food but nevertheless show preferences for specific foods <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2008.01.032">solely by caloric content</a>. In other words, rodents can use internal cues to shape their food-related decision-making, including when and where to eat and which foods they prefer.</p>
<p>These findings also suggest that feelings of hunger and the detection of nutrients is not restricted to the stomach. They also involve areas of the brain important for regulation and homeostasis, such as the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.06.048">lateral hypothalamus</a>, as well as centers of the brain involved in learning and memory, such as the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.10.012">hippocampus</a>.</p>
<h2>What happens in vagus</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3071">gut-brain axis</a>, or the biochemical connection between your gut and your brain, shapes feeding behaviors in many ways. One of them involves the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537171/">vagus nerve</a>, a cranial nerve that helps control the digestive tract, among other things. </p>
<p>The vagus nerve rapidly <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aat5236">communicates nutrient information</a> to the brain. Activating the vagus nerve can induce a pleasurable state, such that mice will voluntarily perform a behavior, such as poking their nose through an open port, to stimulate their vagus nerve. Importantly, mice also learn to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2018.08.049">prefer foods and places</a> where vagal nerve stimulation occurred.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Your gut and brain are intimately connected.</span></figcaption>
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<p>The vagus nerve plays an essential role in not only communicating digestive signals but also an array of other interoceptive signals that can affect how you feel and behave. In people, vagal nerve stimulation can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097/01.wnn.0000213908.34278.7d">improve learning and memory</a> and can be used to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s13311-017-0537-8">treat major depression</a>.</p>
<h2>Benefits of interoceptive awareness</h2>
<p>Your body’s capacity to use both external and internal cues to regulate how you learn and make decisions about food highlights the impressive processes involved in how you regulate your energy needs.</p>
<p>Poor interoceptive awareness is associated with a range of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1027/2512-8442/a000062">dysfunctional feeding behaviors</a>, such as eating disorders. For instance, <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2017.00032">anorexia may result</a> when interoceptive signals, such as feelings of hunger, are unable to trigger the motivation to eat. Alternatively, the inability to use the feeling of fullness to dampen the rewarding and pleasurable consequences of eating palatable food could <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.08.020">result in binge eating</a>. </p>
<p>Your interoceptive signals play an important role in regulating your daily eating patterns. During the holidays, many stressors from the outside world surround eating, such as packed social calendars, pressures to conform and feelings of guilt when overindulging. At this time, it is particularly important to cultivate a strong connection to your interoceptive signals. This can help promote <a href="https://theconversation.com/intuitive-eating-a-diet-that-actually-makes-sense-112800">intuitive eating</a> and a more holistic approach to your dietary habits. Rather than fixating on external factors and placing conditions on your eating behavior, enjoy the moment, deliberately savor each bite and provide time for your interoceptive signals to function in the role they are designed to play. </p>
<p>Your brain evolved to sense your current energy needs. By <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.06.004">integrating these signals</a> with your experience of your food environment, you can both optimize your energetic needs and enjoy the season.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/217990/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alexander Johnson receives funding from the National Institute of Health</span></em></p>You likely know that the sight and smell of food can trigger cravings. But internal cues from your gut and your brain play just as important a role in the decisions you make around food.Alex Johnson, Associate Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience, Michigan State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2079752023-07-28T12:19:57Z2023-07-28T12:19:57ZFixing the global childhood obesity epidemic begins with making healthy choices the easier choices – and that requires new laws and policies<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539667/original/file-20230726-15-ftjegw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=14%2C51%2C4877%2C3388&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Clean and safe city parks can be important factors in supporting kids' health and well-being. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com.mx/detail/ilustraci%C3%B3n/children-playing-in-the-city-park-ilustraciones-libres-de-derechos/478266830?phrase=children+playing+in+green+parks&adppopup=true">paci77/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The global childhood obesity epidemic has exploded. Over the past four decades, the world has witnessed a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32129-3">tenfold increase</a> in <a href="https://theconversation.com/obesity-in-children-is-rising-dramatically-and-it-comes-with-major-and-sometimes-lifelong-health-consequences-202595">obesity in children and adolescents</a> between 5 and 19 years old. </p>
<p>More than 124 million children across the world are <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight#cms">currently considered to be obese</a>. In children under age 5, obesity used to be nearly unheard of. Now, more than 38 million young children live with this condition. </p>
<p>Researchers now estimate that there are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32129-3">more obese children than underweight children worldwide</a>. Children and adolescents who are obese are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12334">more likely to become obese adults</a>, setting them up for a lifelong trajectory of poor health. </p>
<p>With this growth in childhood obesity comes an <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/basics/consequences.html">increase in associated poor mental and physical health outcomes</a>. Conditions that were once rare in children are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2016.09.017">now becoming increasingly common</a>. These debilitating and costly diseases include <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hypertension#">hypertension</a>, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/type2.html">type 2 diabetes</a> and others. </p>
<p>I am a <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=4WSwC68AAAAJ&hl=en&authuser=1">public health researcher</a> who studies and teaches about the factors underlying the obesity epidemic. My research seeks to understand what is driving these trends. Why are more and more people, including children, becoming obese?</p>
<h2>Parsing the numbers</h2>
<p>Childhood obesity was once <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802804">predominantly an issue within developed nations</a>. But it has become an emerging health concern even in the poorest countries and regions.</p>
<p>The standard <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight">measure used to determine obesity</a> in children and adolescents has long been the body mass index, or BMI. This is a measure of an individual’s height as compared to their weight. Children whose BMI is a set threshold above the mean, or average, are considered obese. The role of BMI in defining obesity in children and adults may be changing, however. </p>
<p>Although BMI remains a low-cost and practical method for assessing obesity across populations – such as estimating the percentage of children in a particular nation who are obese – <a href="https://theconversation.com/bmi-alone-will-no-longer-be-treated-as-the-go-to-measure-for-weight-management-an-obesity-medicine-physician-explains-the-seismic-shift-taking-place-208174">growing evidence has shed light on its limitations</a> for use at the individual and clinical level. <a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases/ama-adopts-new-policy-clarifying-role-bmi-measure-medicine">Leading medical organizations</a> and researchers are encouraging physicians to consider the use of alternative measures, which may change the way children are screened for health risks related to their weight at the doctor’s office.</p>
<h2>Critical role of parents and caregivers</h2>
<p>In essence, childhood obesity is the result of kids eating and drinking more calories than they are burning off through play, movement and growth. Because of this, researchers have largely focused on understanding the individual eating and physical activity habits of these kids. </p>
<p>In the case of childhood obesity, researchers like me also know that parental figures play critical roles in both <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-720X.2007.00111.x">mirroring and creating opportunities</a> for physical activity and healthy eating. </p>
<p>However, attempts to address childhood obesity have often focused excessively on <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daq052">individual behaviors of parents and children</a> and too little on the environment where children and their families live. Research and statistics make it clear that this approach has failed and that new strategies are needed to understand and address why more children are becoming obese.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539634/original/file-20230726-19-188nvv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=8%2C16%2C5483%2C3639&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A male and female adult shop for vegetables with a child and examine tomatoes from a stall at a farmer's market." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539634/original/file-20230726-19-188nvv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=8%2C16%2C5483%2C3639&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539634/original/file-20230726-19-188nvv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539634/original/file-20230726-19-188nvv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539634/original/file-20230726-19-188nvv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539634/original/file-20230726-19-188nvv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539634/original/file-20230726-19-188nvv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539634/original/file-20230726-19-188nvv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Parents and caregivers play a major role in creating opportunities for healthy eating.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com.mx/detail/foto/family-shopping-at-organic-farmers-market-imagen-libre-de-derechos/602378307">Thomas Barwick/DigitalVision via Getty Images</a></span>
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<h2>Social determinants of childhood obesity</h2>
<p>Social determinants of health refer to the conditions where people live, learn, work, play and worship that affect health and quality of life.</p>
<p>The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has <a href="https://health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health">described five broad categories</a> of social determinants of health. These include: </p>
<ul>
<li>economic stability </li>
<li>education access and quality</li>
<li>health care access and quality</li>
<li>neighborhood and the built environment, such as access to sidewalks and playgrounds</li>
<li>social and community context </li>
</ul>
<p>Social determinants can promote health. For example, neighborhoods with access to safe parks and green spaces and healthy food retailers may support healthy eating and physical activity for families. </p>
<p>But social determinants can also facilitate or encourage unhealthy behaviors. Because of their underlying role in contributing to health outcomes like childhood obesity, social determinants have been described as the “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/00333549141291S206">causes of the causes</a>.” In other words, if poor diet is one of the causes of childhood obesity, then the social determinants that shape a child and their family’s food environment – such as lack of neighborhood grocery stores or limited income to purchase healthy foods – would be a cause of that poor diet.</p>
<h2>Role of processed foods and physical inactivity</h2>
<p>Globally, people are spending more time in cars and less time walking – one of the most basic forms of physical activity. Even in the poorest nations, <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/dpu-projects/drivers_urb_change/urb_infrastructure/pdf_transport/HABITATII_Abraham_poolong_kuala_lumpur.pdf">private car ownership rates</a> are skyrocketing. Kids who would inadvertently be engaging in physical activity just by <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2010.04.005">walking or biking to school</a> are more likely to be taking cars and buses to school instead. </p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Inactivity from, for instance, excessive time spent sitting in front of the TV and other devices and lack of safe areas to play after school, is a major driver of the childhood obesity crisis.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>When it comes to food, societies in the U.S. and around the world are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980018003762">producing and consuming more calorie-dense</a> <a href="https://theconversation.com/ultraprocessed-foods-like-cookies-chips-frozen-meals-and-fast-food-may-contribute-to-cognitive-decline-196560">ultra-processed foods</a>. Advertisers are targeting children with these food products and sugar-sweetened beverages online and on television. </p>
<p>But for working parents with long hours or those who are unable to afford healthy groceries, these are often the easiest or affordable options for feeding their children. In fact, poor families are more likely to live in communities designated as “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12115-016-9993-8">food deserts</a>,” areas where there are few or no grocery stores and a high concentration of fast-food restaurants and convenience stores.</p>
<p>And children’s lifestyles have changed drastically, shifting away from outdoor physical activity into an increasingly sedentary way of life, in large part due to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1071/he16026">social media</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2010.02.016">screen time</a>. The role of screen time in the childhood obesity epidemic is a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1542%2Fpeds.2016-1758K">significant and growing area of concern</a> and research. </p>
<p>In my own research in Peruvian communities, parents identified many of these same factors as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/13557858.2019.1591347">barriers to their children being physically active</a>. Mothers complained about the lack of safe spaces for their kids to play. Local parks were full of crime, and yards were congested with traffic and other safety hazards. Mothers felt it was safer for their young children to be inside watching TV than outside playing. </p>
<p>This example is not unique to Peru. Parents around the world are contending with these challenges.</p>
<h2>Addressing the underlying causes</h2>
<p>The field of public health prioritizes <a href="https://doh.wa.gov/community-and-environment/worksite-wellness/healthy-nutrition-guidelines/cafeterias/guidelines/easy-choices">making the healthy choice the easy choice</a>. Combating the childhood obesity epidemic means making healthy eating an easier choice for children and families than staying inside and eating processed foods. </p>
<p>However, the reality is that much of the world’s population now lives, works, plays and worships in places that make it more difficult to choose healthy behaviors.</p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.amepre.2014.07.011">Policies</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK114231/">programs</a> that address the social determinants of health are a critical part of curbing the childhood obesity epidemic. These include investing in community resources like playgrounds and <a href="https://www.nationalparks.org/explore/programs/open-outdoors-for-kids">free programs</a> that get kids outside. </p>
<p>Some nations and even U.S. cities have implemented “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.15276">sin taxes</a>” on sugar-sweetened beverages to discourage consumption. In Chile, policies have been created that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-023-01454-w">limit television advertising of unhealthy food</a> products toward children. Other policy examples include tax incentives and <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/downloads/healthier_food_retail.pdf">programs that increase access to healthy foods</a> and lower their cost. </p>
<p>In my view, every kid should be able to swim in the safe and accessible community pool rather than relying on their living room TVs to escape the blistering summer heat, or access fresh and affordable produce in their neighborhood instead of having to rely on fast food as the only close food resource. Childhood obesity is a preventable condition that communities can reduce most effectively by increasing access to resources that will allow them to live healthy lives.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207975/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kathleen Trejo Tello has previously received funding from National Institutes of Health's Fogarty International Center.</span></em></p>Obese children outnumber underweight ones globally, and ‘social determinants’ in kids’ lived environments play a fundamental role. Obesity in kids can lead to a lifetime of poor health.Kathleen Trejo Tello, Assistant Professor of Public Health, College of CharlestonLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2084672023-06-29T20:01:22Z2023-06-29T20:01:22ZSome Ozempic users say it silences ‘food noise’. But there are drug-free ways to stop thinking about food so much<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534228/original/file-20230627-19-26ek8k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=441%2C12%2C3648%2C2133&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/thirsty-woman-standing-front-fridge-drinking-2199248609">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>“<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/21/well/eat/ozempic-food-noise.html">Food noise</a>” or thinking about food constantly is not helpful to anyone’s mental health and wellbeing. </p>
<p>When we become obsessed with any one line of thought (in this case, food), we can become consumed by it and it’s very hard to think about anything else. This can be very distressing. </p>
<p>Some people taking the diabetes drug Ozempic for weight loss have <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/21/well/eat/ozempic-food-noise.html">reported</a> a sudden silencing of food noise and cravings. But there are other ways to maintain a healthy balance when it comes to our internal food monologue. </p>
<h2>One track thinking</h2>
<p>Thinking about food constantly is a common feature of an eating disorder. Indeed one of the main <a href="https://butterfly.org.au/eating-disorders/eating-disorders-explained/">criteria</a> for diagnosis of eating disorders is a preoccupation with the weight, shape and size of one’s body. A person may use control, or lack of control, of food to bring their body in line with how they perceive it should look. </p>
<p>A person with anorexia nervosa severely restricts their food intake to the point where their body is starving. As a result of this deprivation, their brain <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-8223(96)00161-7">constantly thinks</a> about food.</p>
<p>People with binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa are also consumed by thoughts of food <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2009.03.005">including</a> when they’ll eat, what they’ll eat, obtaining food and where they’ll eat it. </p>
<p>But it’s <a href="https://eating-disorders.org.uk/information/the-effects-of-under-eating/">not just</a> those with eating disorders who can be obsessed with food. If we are dieting, undereating, restricting our intake of food or overeating, we can be consumed by thoughts about food.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn08n63sQwI","accessToken":"127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20"}"></div></p>
<h2>An easy fix?</h2>
<p>As a clinical psychologist, I have treated many clients and helped people with eating disorders who can not stop thinking about food. They have often tried medications and drugs to try and stop <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3312901/">ruminating</a> over food, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S1461145711000460">usually to no avail</a>. </p>
<p>Or they are prescribed medications to reduce appetite, in the case of binge eating and obesity. These might work and help the person lose large amounts of weight, only for them to put it all <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/weight-regain-after-stopping-ozempic">back on again</a> when they stop taking the drug.</p>
<p>Weight loss drugs should only be used under <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss-drugs/art-20044832">medical supervision</a> and some diet pills <a href="https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/prescription-medications-treat-overweight-obesity">can affect</a> the heart, breathing, blood pressure and brain. </p>
<p>Ozempic (and similar drug Wegovy) use the ingredient semaglutide drug to <a href="https://theconversation.com/ozempic-helps-weight-loss-by-making-you-feel-full-but-certain-foods-can-do-the-same-thing-without-the-side-effects-201870">induce feelings</a> of being full or satisfied. Side effects of semaglutide <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/sites/default/files/auspar-semaglutide-201030-pi.pdf">can include</a> nausea, bloating, constipation and diarrhoea.</p>
<p>So, it’s important to work on developing a healthy relationship with food and your body. Often a combination of psychological therapy and seeing an accredited dietitian is needed. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ozempic-helps-weight-loss-by-making-you-feel-full-but-certain-foods-can-do-the-same-thing-without-the-side-effects-201870">Ozempic helps weight loss by making you feel full. But certain foods can do the same thing – without the side-effects</a>
</strong>
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<h2>Working out what’s driving it</h2>
<p>With clients, I start by working on what’s driving the food obsession. Is it due to eating too little? Not eating regularly enough? Having strict rules and what you can and can’t eat? </p>
<p>It’s important to establish regular and adequate eating so your body and brain are well-fuelled and you can make sensible decisions around the food you consume. </p>
<p>Our biology ensures that when we are hungry we will <a href="https://theconversation.com/chemical-messengers-how-hormones-make-us-feel-hungry-and-full-35545">think about obtaining food</a> for survival. It can make us anxious or “<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-the-science-of-hangry-or-why-some-people-get-grumpy-when-theyre-hungry-37229">hangry</a>” and it can be hard to concentrate or focus on anything else but food. Then when we eat, our brain stops sending messages to eat and we can focus again. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534229/original/file-20230627-23-wfx2kc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="woman bites bread with topping" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534229/original/file-20230627-23-wfx2kc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534229/original/file-20230627-23-wfx2kc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534229/original/file-20230627-23-wfx2kc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534229/original/file-20230627-23-wfx2kc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534229/original/file-20230627-23-wfx2kc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534229/original/file-20230627-23-wfx2kc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534229/original/file-20230627-23-wfx2kc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Eating well and regularly can help us develop a healthier relationship with food.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/woman-restaurant-cozy-warm-sweater-wholesome-1914593563">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The <a href="https://ceed.org.au/resources_links/raves-a-step-by-step-approach-to-re-establishing-normal-eating/">RAVES model</a> of eating is used for people with eating disorders to help them be in tune with their body, respond to its needs and establish healthy behaviours. It’s about helping a person understand where their food rules have come from, debunk myths around eating and dieting, and challenge unhelpful ways of thinking about food. </p>
<p>Many people with and without eating disorders have <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-i-work-with-people-with-eating-disorders-i-see-many-rules-around-good-and-bad-foods-but-eating-is-never-that-simple-188803">food rules</a> around what they can and can’t eat, when and how much and this just sets us up to be obsessed with food. Once you allow yourself to eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full and have the foods you enjoy, you free your brain to think about things other than food and eating. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/when-i-work-with-people-with-eating-disorders-i-see-many-rules-around-good-and-bad-foods-but-eating-is-never-that-simple-188803">When I work with people with eating disorders, I see many rules around 'good' and 'bad' foods – but eating is never that simple</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>A healthy food mindset</h2>
<p>A person who has a healthy relationship with food listens to their body’s needs. They don’t have food rules around what they can and can’t eat and they feel comfortable in their body. </p>
<p>They can reject media and advertising around dieting and idealised bodies and they are respectful of their body. When I work with clients we work on listening to your body, respecting its needs and treating it well. This is called having a <a href="https://www.australianacademicpress.com.au/books/details/219/Positive_Bodies_Loving_the_Skin_Youre_In">positive body image</a> and is an important part of treatment for people with body image and eating issues. </p>
<p>It is often a person’s perception of their body that influences their eating. Learning to accept your physical self as well as treating the body well, with good nutrition, builds a <a href="https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/general-information/ten-steps">positive body image</a>. </p>
<p>If you are concerned about your relationship with food or your body, seeing your GP for a referral to a psychologist or dietitian is advised. <a href="https://butterfly.org.au/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw7uSkBhDGARIsAMCZNJuqKyBW0wInQwCp3fMyLn6xcft6NrLdVZdiuouauwoKJm_Xq9L0BV8aArGYEALw_wcB">The Butterfly Foundation</a> is also a great source of support for information on eating disorders. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/CnVSr--qisn","accessToken":"127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20"}"></div></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208467/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Vivienne Lewis does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>It’s important to establish regular and adequate eating so your body and brain are well-fuelled and you can make sensible decisions around the food you consume.Vivienne Lewis, Assistant professor – Psychology, University of CanberraLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2057312023-05-24T15:24:58Z2023-05-24T15:24:58ZFood for thought: How your mindset can make healthy food more alluring on social media<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527112/original/file-20230518-21-wqes1b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6016%2C3683&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Social media posts featuring unhealthy foods get more likes and engagement. But there are ways to change that.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Borzoo Moazami, Unsplash)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/food-for-thought--how-your-mindset-can-make-healthy-food-more-alluring-on-social-media" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>In today’s world, our diets are often packed with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/08998280.2014.11929135">fats and sugars</a>. Our ancient instinct to crave calorie-rich foods, which once helped us survive, now leads to <a href="https://www.who.int/health-topics/obesity">harmful health side-effects</a>. </p>
<p>To counteract this, food content creators on social media have been trying to push <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/ca/tag/healthy-food">healthy eating</a> and healthy eating content. </p>
<p>But here’s the kicker — this content doesn’t get much engagement. Instead, posts that show <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/jcpy.1246">unhealthy, high-calorie foods get more likes, shares and comments</a>. This popularity of junk food online may tempt content creators and algorithms to show more of the same, tilting our view of “normal” eating habits towards unhealthy choices. In the long run, this could fuel the obesity epidemic. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/ChHKN3vDAbo/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link\u0026igshid=MmJiY2I4NDBkZg==","accessToken":"127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20"}"></div></p>
<p>So, the challenge is clear: How do we make healthy foods as click-worthy as their unhealthy counterparts?</p>
<p>In a recent paper published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-07-2021-0565"><em>European Journal of Marketing</em></a>, we wanted to see if we could change people’s natural tendency to avoid healthy food content. How? By tweaking the way they think. Could getting people to think more carefully before they see food posts make them engage more with healthy food on social media? </p>
<h2>Food marketing on social media</h2>
<p>Social media has become a billboard for food advertising. Food companies are everywhere online, but their focus is usually on <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2019.104501">calorie-packed products</a>. They make these foods seem fun and shareable, even though many of us would be better off seeing more healthier options. </p>
<p>This mismatch between what food companies promote and what is good for consumers is glaring. Posts with unhealthy food get more love and are remembered, seen and shared more than posts featuring healthier foods. </p>
<p>This online popularity of junk food can then shape our ideas of what’s “normal” to eat and can <a href="https://theconversation.com/ill-have-what-shes-having-how-and-why-we-copy-the-choices-of-others-122682">sway our eating habits</a>, especially in groups that are easily influenced by peers. So, if we can figure out why this happens, we could use that knowledge to make healthy foods shine on social media.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A woman eats at a table in a restaurant with friends" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527113/original/file-20230518-29-ybg7sb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527113/original/file-20230518-29-ybg7sb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527113/original/file-20230518-29-ybg7sb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527113/original/file-20230518-29-ybg7sb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527113/original/file-20230518-29-ybg7sb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527113/original/file-20230518-29-ybg7sb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527113/original/file-20230518-29-ybg7sb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">There’s a mismatch between what food companies promote and what’s actually good for us.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Alex Haney, Unsplash)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Why we love junk: An evolutionary tale</h2>
<p>Our brains have been wired over millennia to not only crave high-calorie foods, but feel good when simply seeing such foods — <a href="https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.nutr.17.1.237">it’s a survival trick from our past</a>. </p>
<p>Today, this means we naturally feel good and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2010.11.001">get excited</a> when seeing calorie-packed foods. This same excitement simply does not occur when exposed to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797619872191">low-calorie alternatives</a>, which we often see as less tasty, not as enjoyable and likely not satiating. </p>
<p>What if we could switch our minds to avoid the biased decisions we make when we rely on our feelings? The idea of using a more thoughtful mindset is a strategy that’s been shown to work on other <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-09-2018-0633">food habits</a>.</p>
<p>The potential here is huge: thinking more thoughtfully and analytically could <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-3445.133.1.23">reduce our biases</a> for relying more on our feelings to make decisions, and this can make healthier, lower-calorie foods more attractive, leading to more likes and shares on social media.</p>
<p>In our research, we took a look at how people react to social media content about food. We found that people are usually less interested in posts about healthier, lower-calorie food, something that’s been shown in previous studies. </p>
<p>We used videos from <a href="https://tasty.co/">Tasty</a>, a popular food network, for our experiment. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{"url":"https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsWjba8LjT8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link\u0026igshid=MmJiY2I4NDBkZg==","accessToken":"127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20"}"></div></p>
<p>In our experiment, people were more likely to engage with a video about <a href="https://tasty.co/recipe/chicken-parmesan-sliders">making a burger</a> than <a href="https://tasty.co/recipe/smashed-cucumber-salad">a salad</a>. But when people take the time to think about what food they’re actually engaging with, they can appreciate the benefits of lower-calorie foods, potentially leading them to choose healthier options.</p>
<h2>Actions for a healthier social media</h2>
<p>As prior research has demonstrated, people are naturally drawn to social media posts of unhealthy food, leaving healthier options in the dust. The more engagement these calorie-packed posts get, the more similar content floods our feeds, creating a cycle that can potentially negatively affect our real-life eating habits. </p>
<p>But there’s hope! As our <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/EJM-07-2021-0565/full/html">ongoing work</a> demonstrates, there are plenty of ways to steer the mindset towards healthier choices. Think <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2020.07.003">disclaimers</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-11-2019-0851">health star ratings</a> or even <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2013.10.002">colour-coded nudges</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A green salad with rapini on a stone countertop" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527114/original/file-20230518-23-9hkp7d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527114/original/file-20230518-23-9hkp7d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527114/original/file-20230518-23-9hkp7d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527114/original/file-20230518-23-9hkp7d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527114/original/file-20230518-23-9hkp7d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=565&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527114/original/file-20230518-23-9hkp7d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=565&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527114/original/file-20230518-23-9hkp7d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=565&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">It’s possible to steer our mindsets towards making healthier food decisions.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Ella Olsson/Unsplash)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Short mindfulness exercises from programs like <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90694128/how-noom-co-opted-the-language-of-eating-disorder-recovery-to-sell-users-on-weight-loss">Noom or WeightWatchers</a> can also help us pause and think before we eat. </p>
<p>Our research can inspire dietitians, health advocates, policymakers and content creators to use this mindset magic when they’re designing their products, services or social media posts. This could lead to more engagement with healthier food content on social media, making these healthier messages travel further.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/205731/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ethan Pancer receives funding from SSHRC and the David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retailing and Services. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Matthew Philp receives funding from SSHRC. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Theo Noseworthy receives funding from SSHRC. </span></em></p>New research finds that switching to a more thoughtful mindset can increase engagement with healthier food options on social media.Ethan Pancer, Associate Professor of Marketing, Saint Mary’s UniversityMatthew Philp, Assistant Professor, Marketing, Toronto Metropolitan UniversityTheo Noseworthy, Professor of Marketing, York University, CanadaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2010672023-03-31T12:23:17Z2023-03-31T12:23:17ZEating disorders among teens have more than doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic – here’s what to watch for<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/517032/original/file-20230322-419-qse5vl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=30%2C46%2C5129%2C3380&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The traditional assumption that eating disorders primarily affect affluent white women has led to stigma, stereotyping and misunderstanding. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/asia-woman-feeling-sad-in-the-bedroom-royalty-free-image/1324460530?phrase=eating%20disorders%20in%20teens&adppopup=true">toondelamour/E+ via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The COVID-19 pandemic has been <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2022.12.026">associated with worsening mental health</a> among teens, including increasing numbers of patients with eating disorders. In fact, research indicates that the number of teens with eating disorders <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.4346">at least doubled during the pandemic</a>. </p>
<p>This is particularly concerning given that eating disorders <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.74">are among the most deadly</a> of all mental health diagnoses, and teens with eating disorders are at <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.08.023">higher risk for suicide</a> than the general population.</p>
<p>While experts don’t know exactly why eating disorders develop, studies show that <a href="https://doi.org/10.23750/abm.v93i3.13140">body dissatisfaction and desire for weight loss</a> are key contributors. This can make conversations around weight and healthy behaviors particularly tricky with teens and young adults.</p>
<p>As an <a href="https://profiles.umassmed.edu/display/30628475">adolescent medicine doctor</a> <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Sydney-M-Hartman-Munick-2175760133">specializing in eating disorders</a>, I have seen firsthand the increases in patients with eating disorders as well as the detrimental effects of eating disorder stereotypes. I regularly work with families to help teens develop positive relationships with body image, eating and exercise.</p>
<p>Understanding the signs of a possible eating disorder is important, as studies suggest that timely diagnosis and treatment leads to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.22840">better long-term outcomes</a> and to better chances of full recovery. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yZpMT8dvqE0?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Excessive dieting and withdrawal from friends are two signs of disordered eating.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Eating disorders defined</h2>
<p>Eating disorders, which <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-021-01161-7">often start in adolescence</a>, include <a href="https://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/anorexia-nervosa/">anorexia nervosa</a>, <a href="https://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/bulimia-nervosa/">bulimia nervosa</a>, <a href="https://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/binge-eating-disorder/">binge eating disorder</a>, <a href="https://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/other-specified-feeding-or-eating-disorders/">other specified feeding and eating disorders</a> and <a href="https://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/avoidant-restrictive-food-intake-disorder-arfid/">avoidant restrictive food intake disorder</a>. Each eating disorder has specific criteria that must be met in order to receive a diagnosis, which is made by a professional with eating disorder expertise.</p>
<p>Research suggests that up to 10% of people will develop <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/striped/report-economic-costs-of-eating-disorders/">an eating disorder in their lifetime</a>. Medical complications from eating disorders, such as low heart rate and electrolyte abnormalities, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-023-00759-2">can be dangerous and result in hospitalization</a>, and malnutrition can affect growth and development. Many of the patients I see in clinic show signs of paused puberty and stalled growth, which can influence bone health, adult height and other aspects of health if not addressed quickly.</p>
<p>Teens are also at risk for disordered eating behaviors such as intentional vomiting, caloric restriction, binge eating, overexercise, the use of weight loss supplements and misuse of laxatives. </p>
<p>A recent study estimated that 1 in 5 teens may <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.5848">struggle with disordered eating behaviors</a>. While these behaviors alone may not qualify as an eating disorder, they may predict the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2006.01.003">development of eating disorders later on</a>.</p>
<p>Treatment methods for eating disorders are <a href="https://www.aedweb.org/resources/about-eating-disorders/treatment-options">varied and depend on multiple factors</a>, including a patient’s medical stability, family preference and needs, local resources and insurance coverage. </p>
<p>Treatment can include a team consisting of a medical provider, nutritionist and therapist, or might involve the use of a specialized eating disorder program. Referral to one of these treatment methods may come from a pediatrician or a specialized eating disorder provider.</p>
<h2>Unpacking misconceptions and stereotypes</h2>
<p>Traditional ideas and stereotypes about eating disorders have left many people with the impression that it is mainly thin, white, affluent females who develop eating disorders. However, research demonstrates that anyone can develop these conditions, regardless of age, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2018.11.004">race</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-022-00720-9">body size</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2015.03.003">gender identity</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-017-0801-y">sexual orientation</a> or <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.22846">socioeconomic status</a>. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, stereotypes and assumptions about eating disorders have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-022-00730-7">contributed to health disparities</a> in screening, diagnosis and treatment. Studies have documented negative eating disorder treatment experiences among <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2021.101517">transgender and gender-diverse</a> individuals, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23402">Black and Indigenous</a> people and those <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/18/magazine/anorexia-obesity-eating-disorder.html">with larger body size</a>. Some contributors to these negative experiences include lack of diversity and training among treatment providers, treatment plans without cultural or economic nutritional considerations and differential treatment when a patient is not visibly underweight, among others. </p>
<p>Contrary to popular assumptions, studies show teen boys are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097%2FMOP.0000000000000911">at risk for eating disorders as well</a>. These often go undetected and can be disguised as a desire to become more muscular. However, eating disorders are just as dangerous for boys as they are for girls.</p>
<p>Parents and loved ones can play a role in helping to dispel these stereotypes by advocating for their child at the pediatrician’s office if concern arises and by recognizing red flags for eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors.</p>
<h2>Warning signs</h2>
<p>Given how common disordered eating and eating disorders are among teens, it is important to understand <a href="https://www.medainc.org/resources-2/about-eating-disorders/">some possible signs</a> of these worrisome behaviors and what to do about them.</p>
<p>Problematic behaviors can include eating alone or in secret and a hyperfocus on “healthy” foods and distress when those foods aren’t readily available. Other warning signs include significantly decreased portion sizes, skipped meals, fights at mealtime, using the bathroom immediately after eating and weight loss. </p>
<p>Because these behaviors often feel secretive and shameful, it may feel difficult to bring them up with teens. Taking a warm but direct approach when the teen is calm can be helpful, while letting them know you have noticed the behavior and are there to support them without judgment or blame. I always make sure to let my patients know that my job is to be on their team, rather than to just tell them what to do.</p>
<p>Teens may not immediately open up about their own concerns, but if behaviors like this are present, don’t hesitate to have them seen at their pediatrician’s office. Following up with patients who have shown signs of having an eating disorder and promptly <a href="https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/where-do-i-start-0">referring them to a specialist</a> who can further evaluate the patient are crucial for getting teens the help they may need. Resources for families <a href="https://www.feast-ed.org/">can be helpful</a> to navigate the fear and uncertainty that can come along with the diagnosis of an eating disorder.</p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7VZNGgDjsMo?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Many misconceptions exist about eating disorders, including that they are about vanity or that people should just be able to stop.</span></figcaption>
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<h2>Focus on health, not size</h2>
<p>Research shows that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097/MOP.0000000000000910">poor body image</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.23750/abm.v93i3.13140">body dissatisfaction</a> can put teens at risk for disordered eating behaviors and eating disorders. </p>
<p>Parents play an important role in the development of teens’ self-esteem, and research demonstrates that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-022-00561-6">negative comments from parents</a> about weight, body size and eating are associated with eating disorder-type thoughts in teens. Therefore, when talking to teens, it <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.78">can be beneficial</a> to take a weight-neutral approach, which <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/ncp.10885">focuses more on overall health</a> rather than weight or size. I unfortunately have had many patients with eating disorders who were scolded or teased about their weight by family members; this can be really harmful in the long run.</p>
<p>One helpful strategy is to incorporate lots of variety into a teen’s diet. If doable, trying new foods as a family can encourage your teen to try something they haven’t before. Try to avoid terms such as “junk” or “guilt” when discussing foods. Teaching teens to appreciate lots of different kinds of foods in their diet allows them to develop a healthy, knowledgeable relationship with food. If you’re feeling stuck, you may want to ask your pediatrician about seeing a dietitian.</p>
<p>It’s important to remember that teens need <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.13330">a lot of nutrition</a> to support growth and development, often more than adults do, and regular eating helps avoid extreme hunger that can lead to overeating. Letting teens listen to their bodies and learn their own hunger and fullness cues will help them <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-020-00852-4">eat in a healthy way</a> and create healthy long-term habits.</p>
<p>In my experience, teens are more likely to exercise consistently when <a href="https://health.gov/our-work/nutrition-physical-activity/move-your-way-community-resources/campaign-materials/materials-kids-and-teens#videos">they find an activity</a> that they enjoy. Exercise doesn’t need to mean lifting weights at the gym; teens can move their bodies by taking a walk in nature, moving to music in their rooms or playing a pickup game of basketball or soccer with a friend or sibling. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/pa-health/index.htm">Focusing on the positive things</a> exercise can do for the body such as improvements in mood and energy can help avoid making movement feel compulsive or forced. When teens are able to find movement that they enjoy, it can help them to appreciate their body for all it is able to do.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/201067/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sydney Hartman-Munick does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Eating disorders in teens are common and dangerous, and parents and loved ones play a crucial role in helping to both identify concerning behaviors and promote healthy ones.Sydney Hartman-Munick, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, UMass Chan Medical SchoolLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1999992023-02-21T06:10:47Z2023-02-21T06:10:47ZAs veganism grows in popularity, some people are still eating meat with friends – could a ‘social omnivore’ diet work for you?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510307/original/file-20230215-24-83aaqs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6749%2C4270&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Eating meat only when it is served in a social setting is a growing dietary trend.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/happy-young-couple-having-breakfast-cafe-1281404749">Bobex-73/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>It’s Sunday and your family are sitting at the dinner table. There’s a bird roast, gravy and then there’s your vegan brother Tom. Your mum’s upset that he will not try a bit of the gravy on his vegetables and Grandpa is surprised that chicken even counts as meat. </p>
<p>We can be certain that the dinner conversation will soon circle around to how “<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25865663/#:%7E:text=Recent%20theorizing%20suggests%20that%20the,their%20choice%20of%20eating%20meat.">normal, nice, necessary and natural</a>” meat eating is. These are the four main rationalisation strategies that omnivores use to defend their dietary choices.</p>
<p>A vegan’s intentions are good. Most of them avoid using animal products because they don’t want to cause animals harm. But this can put your relationships under strain. When people first go vegan, “<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.958248/full">eating with others</a>” is one of the main reasons it ends up not working out.</p>
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<img alt="Quarter life, a series by The Conversation" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p><em><strong><a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/quarter-life-117947?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">This article is part of Quarter Life</a></strong>, a series about issues affecting those of us in our twenties and thirties. From the challenges of beginning a career and taking care of our mental health, to the excitement of starting a family, adopting a pet or just making friends as an adult. The articles in this series explore the questions and bring answers as we navigate this turbulent period of life.</em></p>
<p><em>You may be interested in:</em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/long-covid-a-range-of-diets-are-said-to-help-manage-symptoms-heres-what-the-evidence-tells-us-197821?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">Long COVID: a range of diets are said to help manage symptoms – here’s what the evidence tells us</a></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/how-running-can-help-you-cope-with-stress-at-work-198362?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">How running can help you cope with stress at work</a></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/hope-from-despair-how-young-people-are-taking-action-to-make-things-better-184859?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">Hope from despair: how young people are taking action to make things better</a></em></p>
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<p>But a new type of meat-reducer is emerging: the “<a href="https://www.bonappetit.com/story/social-omnivore-vegetarian-meat">social omnivore</a>”. This growing trend refers to people who will go for a kebab with their friends but will not eat meat when at home or on their own. It’s hard to say how common the phenomenon is, but the mantra is to avoid eating meat where you can and avoid social conflict when eating out. </p>
<p><strong>Barriers to eating less meat:</strong></p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510608/original/file-20230216-28-weqj5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A chart showing common barriers to meat reduction actions showing " src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510608/original/file-20230216-28-weqj5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510608/original/file-20230216-28-weqj5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=335&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510608/original/file-20230216-28-weqj5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=335&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510608/original/file-20230216-28-weqj5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=335&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510608/original/file-20230216-28-weqj5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=420&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510608/original/file-20230216-28-weqj5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=420&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510608/original/file-20230216-28-weqj5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=420&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Self-reported barriers for not sticking to planned daily meat reduction actions.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">Frie et al (2022)</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Why don’t you eat meat?</h2>
<p>There are many reasons to <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/epdf/10.1073/pnas.1906908116">avoid eating meat</a>. No other food releases more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere or causes more habitat destruction than meat. Red meat in particular is also associated with an increased risk of heart disease, certain cancers and suffering a stroke. </p>
<p>Then there’s the uncomfortable truth that sentient animals have to die in order for us to eat meat. </p>
<p>What kind of meat-avoiding diet is right for you will depend on your underlying motivations. If you see meat as murder, then you will have to go all the way and follow a vegan diet. Around <a href="https://yougov.co.uk/topics/society/articles-reports/2022/01/20/meet-britains-vegans-and-vegetarians">2%–3%</a> of people in Britain currently declare themselves to be vegan.</p>
<p>If you feel that consuming dairy is okay, becoming vegetarian may be a better option. The vegetarian population stands at <a href="https://yougov.co.uk/topics/society/articles-reports/2022/01/20/meet-britains-vegans-and-vegetarians">5%–7% of British people</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A cow in a cleared forest." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510315/original/file-20230215-2700-ey90p6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510315/original/file-20230215-2700-ey90p6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510315/original/file-20230215-2700-ey90p6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510315/original/file-20230215-2700-ey90p6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510315/original/file-20230215-2700-ey90p6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510315/original/file-20230215-2700-ey90p6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510315/original/file-20230215-2700-ey90p6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Cattle farming is a leading cause of global deforestation.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cow-cleared-land-deforestation-1466277293">Nuntiya/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>But if your dietary choices are driven by concerns for your health or the environment, an occasional meaty treat should not make you question your identity. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/ejcn201234">Research</a> from 2012 found that even by eating half as much meat and dairy, we could cut greenhouse gas emissions by 19% and prevent almost 37,000 deaths each year in the UK. </p>
<p>If this diet reflects you, then you can join the 13% of Brits who eat meat only occasionally – called “<a href="https://yougov.co.uk/topics/consumer/articles-reports/2021/05/31/what-making-flexitarians-us-and-uk-shift-towards-m">flexitarians</a>”. </p>
<p>A social omnivore is a kind of flexitarian with a very clear rule about when they will eat meat: when it is served in a social setting. This can be much more effective than a general flexitarian intention to eat “less meat”. In this case, how much less meat or when to have it are decided on a moment-to-moment basis. </p>
<h2>Clear rules</h2>
<p><a href="https://compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/spc3.12265">Research</a> shows that a gap exists between our good intentions and behaviour. Whether it’s exercising more or eating fewer calories, we all tend to suffer from optimistic bias. This is the mistaken belief that we are closer to our goal than we really are.</p>
<p>If your intentions are not underpinned by clear rules, this gap can quickly become a gulf. We have to make many decisions about what to eat every day, and often under time pressure. If there are no clear rules to follow, we may <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01973533.2018.1449111?journalCode=hbas20">fall into old habits</a> rather than follow our good intentions.</p>
<p>Setting rules can help change behaviour because they reduce the cognitive load of multiple decisions every day. At the University of Oxford, we tested whether an online programme, called <a href="https://optimisediet.org/">Optimise</a>, could help prospective flexitarians reduce their meat consumption more effectively. </p>
<p>The programme involves completing a questionnaire to establish how much meat you currently eat before choosing from a range of different strategies each day for nine weeks to reduce your meat intake. </p>
<p>These might include suggestions like: “avoid the meat and fish aisle when shopping” or “go to a vegetarian or plant-based restaurant”. At the end of the programme, you will have a set of meat-reducing strategies, or rules, to put your low meat-eating intentions into practice. </p>
<p>In 2020, we <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00394-022-02828-9">trialled</a> the programme on 151 meat eaters. After five weeks, the programme led to a 40g per day reduction in meat intake. This equates to between one and two fewer rashers of bacon each day.</p>
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<img alt="A woman making a hand sign to refuse a hamburger, french fries and fried chicken." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510318/original/file-20230215-20-bl6kgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510318/original/file-20230215-20-bl6kgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=375&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510318/original/file-20230215-20-bl6kgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=375&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510318/original/file-20230215-20-bl6kgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=375&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510318/original/file-20230215-20-bl6kgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=471&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510318/original/file-20230215-20-bl6kgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=471&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510318/original/file-20230215-20-bl6kgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=471&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Participants in the Optimise trial ate less meat after five weeks.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/woman-making-hand-sign-refuse-hamburger-1930759184">Blue Titan/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Is it going to make a difference?</h2>
<p>Given the largely linear association between meat intake and harm to health and the planet, any reduction in the amount of meat you consume is likely to be beneficial. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://eatforum.org/lancet-commission/eatinghealthyandsustainable/">report</a> from the EAT-Lancet Commission on Food, Planet, Health (a global group of scientists who define targets for healthy diets and sustainable food production) suggests that a diet that is both healthy and sustainable should contain no more than 98g of red meat, 203g of poultry and 196g of fish per week. That’s plenty for an occasional feast with friends.</p>
<p>Big journeys begin with small steps. Becoming a social omnivore today will be better for your health and the environment than a plan to become a vegan tomorrow.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/199999/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Susan Jebb receives funding from The Wellcome Trust 'Our Planet Our Health' programme</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Elisa Becker does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>More people are opting for a “social omnivore” lifestyle – could it save the planet, your health and your social life?Susan Jebb, Professor of Diet and Population Health, University of OxfordElisa Becker, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of OxfordLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1982072023-01-20T15:42:44Z2023-01-20T15:42:44ZWhy eating at work is important – even the odd slice of cake<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505556/original/file-20230120-26-n7chbe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C1000%2C685&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Eating at work has many benefits.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/people-celebration-wine-toast-happiness-success-433981933">Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>When England’s Food Standards Agency boss Susan Jebb recently compared eating cake at work to passive smoking, office cubicle walls across the land quivered. She told <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/times-health-commission-office-cake-sugar-passive-smoking-5s3bzb3dn">The Times</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>If nobody brought in cakes into the office, I would not eat cakes in the day, but because people do bring cakes in, I eat them. Now, OK, I have made a choice, but people were making a choice to go into a smoky pub.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Professor Jebb is right to criticise unstructured eating in the workplace, which can contribute to unhealthy eating. Over-consumption of unhealthy produce such as cakes and processed foods can of course <a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/eating-highly-processed-foods-linked-weight-gain">contribute to dietary issues</a> including obesity and coronary heart disease. But this should be balanced against the social impact and positive effects of bringing food into the workplace. </p>
<p>When colleagues bake cakes or biscuits and share them, it no doubt boosts both the giver and the receiver. Employees in Sweden seem to believe this is true: <a href="https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20160112-in-sweden-you-have-to-stop-work-to-chat#:%7E:text=Fika%2C%20a%20Swedish%20custom%20where,to%20eat%20coffee%20and%20cake.">Fika is a daily social event</a> based around sharing food at work – mainly cakes and other sweet dishes. But Fika involves taking time away from the desktop or workbench to engage with colleagues over food. Eating together like this <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25008224/">has been shown to have benefits</a> ranging from more positive feelings about the workplace and better mental health to improved team working. </p>
<h2>Let them eat cake</h2>
<p>Indeed, much of the discussion in the wake of Jebb’s comments has focused on people’s inability to resist eating cake or biscuits that have been left out. This is possibly more of a danger when people set up cake or snack desks or areas and simply leave food there for people to help themselves throughout the day.</p>
<p>And employees also face other food-related pressures that should be more of a priority for governments and companies. Some research shows <a href="https://www.ceo-review.com/work-worries-a-quarter-of-employees-are-too-stressed-to-think-about-healthy-eating-choices-study-finds/">staff are often too stressed</a> to take time to make healthy food choices at work. One way of stopping this is to ensure that there are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9167536/">options for staff to eat while at work</a>, either on-site or through off-site provision.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Business people with lunch trays in work cafeteria." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505582/original/file-20230120-20-9ne9pk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505582/original/file-20230120-20-9ne9pk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505582/original/file-20230120-20-9ne9pk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505582/original/file-20230120-20-9ne9pk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505582/original/file-20230120-20-9ne9pk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505582/original/file-20230120-20-9ne9pk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505582/original/file-20230120-20-9ne9pk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Canteens have a history of bringing UK workers together.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/businesswomen-lunch-trays-work-cafeteria-1571366521">Altrendo Images/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The UK has a history of “workers’ canteens” <a href="https://www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/ernest-bevin">originating during the second world war</a> when it was compulsory for businesses employing more than 250 people to have somewhere for everyone to eat. In the 1950s, canteens in the workplace started to become less popular, often due to changing tastes, negative experiences of past “institutional catering”, lack of choice, as well as the loss of government subsidies.</p>
<p>Ticket restaurants no longer exist in the UK, <a href="https://medcraveonline.com/MOJPH/promoting-healthy-eating-habits-in-the-working-population-the-food-program.html">where they originated</a>, but such schemes still operate in 50 countries worldwide. This kind of initiative works well for places of employment without a canteen or designated eating area. Some governments even recognise it as a tax-deductible benefit so employers can claim a tax reduction for the provision of the voucher.</p>
<h2>Eating at your desk</h2>
<p>In many countries, including the UK, workplace eating habits have also changed over time. Fewer people now take an hour-long lunch break. A 2021 survey of 133 UK companies found that <a href="https://www.communicatemagazine.com/news/2021/uk-employees-are-adopting-unhealthy-lunch-habits-due-to-excessive-fatigue-study-finds/">6% of workers in the UK regularly skip lunch</a>. And as the British entrepreneur Alan Sugar <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/nov/24/how-the-sandwich-consumed-britain#:%7E:text=%E2%80%9CAt%20Amstrad%20the%20staff%20start,industry%20was%20worth%20%C2%A31bn.">reportedly said</a> when discussing employee eating habits at his computer company, as far back as 1987: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>At Amstrad the staff start early and finish late. Nobody takes lunches – they may get a sandwich slung on their desk. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>But workplace eating is actually important for productivity, if properly balanced. When the International Labour Organization (ILO) analysed eating habits worldwide in 2005, it found that a poor or excessive diet in the workplace could <a href="https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_005175/lang--en/index.htm">decrease productivity by 20%</a>. It also identified the importance of vouchers as offering social benefits to employees and financial support to local economies. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Overhead shot of a woman at a computer eating doughnuts." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505555/original/file-20230120-26-byyoc7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505555/original/file-20230120-26-byyoc7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505555/original/file-20230120-26-byyoc7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505555/original/file-20230120-26-byyoc7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505555/original/file-20230120-26-byyoc7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505555/original/file-20230120-26-byyoc7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505555/original/file-20230120-26-byyoc7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/above-top-view-asia-girl-woman-2027206439">Chaay_Tee/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In the past few years, COVID has obviously changed working practices and developments such as internet ordering and workplace delivery have also affected what people can eat for lunch. Reviving systems such as ticket restaurants in the UK could provide valuable income for local restaurants and catering establishments that are suffering from a loss of business in the wake of lockdowns and financial pressures from <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-64310601">the rising cost of doing business</a>. </p>
<p>And while many large companies do provide in-house or equivalent ticket type systems for their employees, this is more often <a href="https://tech.co/hr-software/best-companies-employee-benefits-perks#:%7E:text=an%20Amazon%20fan.-,Free%20Food,-Google%20was%20one">a perk for highly paid tech workers</a> these days, than for lower-income employees that probably need it more <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/bulletins/consumerpriceinflation/december2022">with food price inflation currently at 16%</a>. </p>
<p>Social eating offers many benefits ranging from nutrition through mental health to better productivity at work. Eating cake can be part of this. More importantly, governments should support workplace policies that help employees down tools to eat at work. This will enable people and the companies they work for to benefit from having food – of all kinds – available to share during the working day.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/198207/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Martin Caraher does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Eating lots of cake at your desk is clearly not so healthy but eating with colleagues can boost your mood and your productivity.Martin Caraher, Professor of Food and Health Policy, City, University of LondonLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1962952022-12-15T19:07:37Z2022-12-15T19:07:37ZYour tendency to overindulge these holidays could relate to your ‘eating personality’. Which type are you?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/500896/original/file-20221214-17-kq7mqq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=55%2C33%2C7293%2C4241&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/santa-claus-having-delicious-snack-600w-2063217185.jpg">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Holidays are a time when lots of us tend to overindulge in food and drink, and many people <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejm200003233421206">gain weight</a>. Once gained, weight is difficult to lose, and it is likely that much of the holiday weight gain will <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMc1602012">stay with us</a>.</p>
<p>Overindulgence might happen for some people around relaxed and positive family gatherings, especially if COVID has limited travel and family occasions in recent years. For others, holiday gatherings hold the potential for conflict and emotional challenges and that can lead to having more to eat and drink. For some people it will be a sad and lonely period, without family or significant others around, and food might seem comforting. </p>
<p>Holiday gatherings are typically social, featuring foods that are delicious, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5687574/">energy-dense</a> and plentiful. It can be challenging to resist the temptations on offer. Yet some people overindulge, but others do not. Why? </p>
<p>Research tells us how different “eating personalities” influence our tendency to overdo it at the festive buffet. </p>
<h2>Eating personalities</h2>
<p>The various combinations of our eating behaviours (our usual ways of behaving and thinking about food) interact with each other as “eating personalities”. </p>
<p>Technically, eating personalities (or <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28043857/">eating phenotypes</a>) refer to habitual patterns of eating behaviours and thoughts that are the result of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5994376/">interactions</a> between our genetic makeup, individual characteristics and the environment. </p>
<p>Eating personalities affect how we eat (such as how fast), what we eat (healthy or unhealthy foods), how much we eat in different situations, and importantly, why we overeat. Eating personalities are apparent <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8740295/">even in infants</a> and continue to evolve and change over our lifetime. They also inform how we select specific <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4267530">weight-loss strategies</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/500895/original/file-20221214-22-srnvx0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="cutting turkey at the table" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/500895/original/file-20221214-22-srnvx0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/500895/original/file-20221214-22-srnvx0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500895/original/file-20221214-22-srnvx0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500895/original/file-20221214-22-srnvx0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500895/original/file-20221214-22-srnvx0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500895/original/file-20221214-22-srnvx0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500895/original/file-20221214-22-srnvx0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">For some it’s the pudding, for others it’s the turkey that’s hard to turn down.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://images.pexels.com/photos/5848011/pexels-photo-5848011.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&w=1260&h=750&dpr=2">Pexels</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Our eating personalities could include: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>how we respond to prompts for overeating, such as the presence of tempting foods or drinks at a buffet lunch, and whether we sometimes lose control </p></li>
<li><p>how desirable or appealing or rewarding we find different foods or drinks. It might be a glossy chocolate cake for one person but crispy roast potatoes for another</p></li>
<li><p>whether we notice and respond to internal signals of fullness</p></li>
<li><p>our tendency to serve large portions and eat until the plate is clean</p></li>
<li><p>whether we are able to wait until we start feeling hungry again to begin eating, rather than being guided by the clock or a tempting snack</p></li>
<li><p>our capacity to stick to longer-term goals in the presence of tempting foods or drinks</p></li>
<li><p>how fast we eat and whether we tend to maintain this pace or slow down during the course of eating</p></li>
<li><p>whether we are “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6137864/">emotional eaters</a>” who eat when we feel down or to celebrate success.</p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/mukbang-eatwithme-and-eating-disorders-on-tiktok-why-online-food-consumption-videos-could-fuel-food-fixations-194809">Mukbang, #EatWithMe and eating disorders on TikTok: why online food consumption videos could fuel food fixations</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>5 ideas for eating according to your personality</h2>
<p>Research <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2792381">published</a> this year, based on a randomised clinical trial with 217 adults, indicates that knowing your eating personality can help identify strategies to manage food intakes and weight. A second recent <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4267530">study of 165</a> people supports these findings. </p>
<p>Matching strategies to your particular eating personality traits could help you manage or avoid overindulgence. </p>
<p><strong>1. The overeater</strong></p>
<p>If eating when you’re not actually hungry is a component of your eating personality, improving awareness of hunger versus other triggers for eating <a href="https://uhs.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/wellness-hungersatietyscale.pdf">when you feel full</a>, and developing skills in responding to these cues before deciding to eat, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938420303322">could help</a>. </p>
<p><strong>2. The food admirer and impulsive eater</strong></p>
<p>If high attraction to food is a factor, and you have difficulty resisting, acknowledging the attractiveness of food cues and practising using avoidance, distraction or resistance strategies <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938420303322#bib0175">may be effective</a>.</p>
<p><strong>3. The emotional eater</strong></p>
<p>People who recognise they eat for emotional reasons might try <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss/art-20047342">other strategies</a> such as mindfulness, walking or listening to music to work through their feelings. </p>
<p><strong>4. The plate cleaner</strong></p>
<p>If resisting food is hard once it’s on your plate, choosing <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6088523/#:%7E:text=Offering%20large%20portions%20of%20high,and%20ultimately%20positive%20energy%20balance.">smaller portions</a> could help, along with developing awareness of fullness cues, or selecting some food but saving some for later in a separate location. Some young children do this naturally, spreading holiday chocolates or treats over days or weeks. </p>
<p><strong>5. The speed eater</strong></p>
<p>If eating quickly means you tend to eat too much, pay greater attention to your <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24388483/">eating speed</a> during the meal and attempt to slow down by interspersing eating with other things like chatting or drinking water.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/500889/original/file-20221214-14-lmxifa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="gingerbread men falling out of a bowl" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/500889/original/file-20221214-14-lmxifa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/500889/original/file-20221214-14-lmxifa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=393&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500889/original/file-20221214-14-lmxifa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=393&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500889/original/file-20221214-14-lmxifa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=393&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500889/original/file-20221214-14-lmxifa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=494&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500889/original/file-20221214-14-lmxifa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=494&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500889/original/file-20221214-14-lmxifa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=494&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Eating patterns and responses are highly individualised.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1575993051801-d5a7940d78a2?ixlib=rb-4.0.3&ixid=MnwxMjA3fDB8MHxwaG90by1wYWdlfHx8fGVufDB8fHx8&auto=format&fit=crop&w=872&q=80">Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/when-i-work-with-people-with-eating-disorders-i-see-many-rules-around-good-and-bad-foods-but-eating-is-never-that-simple-188803">When I work with people with eating disorders, I see many rules around 'good' and 'bad' foods – but eating is never that simple</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Acknowledging the challenges</h2>
<p>It is a common experience to have tried, and sometimes failed, to temper food intakes during holiday periods and celebrations. </p>
<p>Food is a central part of holiday celebrations – it provides social and cultural connection, and is a source of enjoyment. However, if avoiding overindulgence is a priority for your <a href="https://theconversation.com/im-not-overweight-so-why-do-i-need-to-eat-healthy-foods-90436">health and wellbeing</a>, it is worth exploring your eating personality. This is a path to a better understanding of overindulgence, and possibly to strategies for moderating what you eat and how much, during the holiday period and beyond. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/step-away-from-the-table-why-you-keep-eating-when-youre-full-170649">Step away from the table – why you keep eating when you're full</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/196295/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Georgie Russell is affiliated with the Nutrition Society of Australia and the Australian and New Zealand Obesity Society. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alan Russell does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Do you feel the need to clean your plate? Does a bowl of salty chips seem completely irresistible? Understanding your ‘eating personality’ could stop you eating or drinking too much these holidays.Georgie Russell, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), Deakin UniversityAlan Russell, Emeritus Professor of Education, Flinders UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1828232022-05-24T13:52:25Z2022-05-24T13:52:25ZHere’s why you might feel sick after a workout – and what you can do to prevent it<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/465052/original/file-20220524-14-fl482a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=51%2C0%2C5740%2C3823&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Feeling sick after a workout is usually no cause for alarm.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/male-asian-athlete-having-abdominal-pain-2039907389">voronaman/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Many of us exercise to feel better. While some of us get “runners’ highs” after a workout, unfortunately some of us leave the gym feeling nauseous. Though this is usually only temporary, it can still be uncomfortable. Fortunately there are a few good explanations for why this may be happening – so if this happens to you there’s probably no reason to be alarmed.</p>
<p>When we exercise, there’s an increase in blood flow to the working muscles, brain, lungs and heart. This increase in blood flow is driven by the sympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system (which helps regulates all of our involuntary body responses, such as heart rate, blood pressure and digestion). It does this by <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2012.00284/full">widening the arteries</a> so they can carry more blood to these tissues. </p>
<p>But the sympathetic nervous system, which normally drives our “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4495877/">fight or flight</a>” mechanism, simultaneously <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1432887/">narrows the blood vessels</a> going into our gastrointestinal system (such as our stomach) during a strenuous workout by up to 80%. It does this because there’s a limited quantity of blood in the body, and the increased oxygen demand by some tissues can only be met by altering the amount of blood going to other tissues. This means that blood supply may be reduced in areas that don’t currently need as much oxygen at that time. This can be the case whether or not you’ve recently eaten.</p>
<p>But let’s say you’ve recently eaten a meal before heading to the gym or going for a run. When we eat, the food <a href="https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/digestive-system-how-it-works#:%7E:text=into%20your%20esophagus.-,Stomach.,chyme%2C%20into%20your%20small%20intestine.">stretches our stomach</a>, resulting in the release of acid and enzymes needed to digest the food. The stomach muscles also <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/advan.00025.2003">become more active</a> during digestion, causing greater demand for oxygen and blood flow to the stomach and other gastrointestinal tissues. A different part of the autonomic nervous system causes blood flow to increase to the gastrointestinal structures when they <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538516">need to be active</a>.</p>
<p>The significant conflict in the body from different tissues all demanding oxygen may be one reason why nausea happens during or after a workout. The body has to adapt the blood flow to the tissues as demand changes. So, when we work out, blood needs to go to the muscles, heart, lungs and brain, meaning blood flow is reduced in less active tissues, such as the gastrointestinal tract – even if it’s currently digesting our dinner. When blood flow is reduced in this area, it triggers our intestinal nerves, which subsequently causes <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8198651/">feelings of nausea</a>.</p>
<p>On top of this, the stomach and other abdominal organs can also be compressed during exercise, which may further contribute to feelings of nausea. This is particularly an issue in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6945051/">squatting</a>, as the heart rate and oxygen demand in tissues increases, so the body draws larger volumes of air into the lungs. This then causes the diaphragm (under your ribs) to push down harder on the abdominal organs. Other muscles – such as those in the abdominal wall – also help, further squeezing the abdominal organs with every breath. This can result in <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/apt.14157">significant nausea and even vomiting</a> – even on an empty stomach. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A group of marathon runners racing outdoors. A man and a woman are at the front of the group." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/465054/original/file-20220524-22-reicdp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/465054/original/file-20220524-22-reicdp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465054/original/file-20220524-22-reicdp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465054/original/file-20220524-22-reicdp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465054/original/file-20220524-22-reicdp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465054/original/file-20220524-22-reicdp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465054/original/file-20220524-22-reicdp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Endurance sports may actually be bad for the stomach.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/bamberg-germany-may-03-2015-weltkulturerbelauf-276219920">Andreas Zerndl/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Some evidence even suggests that exercise, particularly long distance running and other endurance events, can damage the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1589703/">stomach lining</a> – likely due to the <a href="https://gut.bmj.com/content/48/3/435">decrease</a> in blood flow and oxygen available to the organ. This would also cause nausea. In extreme circumstances this can result in <a href="https://journals.lww.com/co-clinicalnutrition/Abstract/2009/09000/The_impact_of_physical_exercise_on_the.13.aspx">bleeding</a> of the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8338081/">stomach lining</a>, particularly in endurance and long distance athletes. </p>
<h2>When to eat</h2>
<p>If you exercise immediately or up to an hour after eating, you’re more likely to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S019566630090391X">experience nausea</a> – regardless of exercise level or workout intensity. It takes <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17074022/">approximately two hours</a> for solid food to be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537005/">broken down by the stomach</a> and enter the small intestines, so if you experience nausea after workouts, it might be best to wait at least two hours after a meal. </p>
<p>What you eat before a workout may also determine whether you experience nausea. High fibre, fatty, and even high protein foods are all linked to <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-014-0153-2">greater likelihood</a> of nausea after a workout. Supplemental protein, <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/102/6/1574/4555193">particularly whey or shakes</a>, are also digested more slowly. This is likely to contribute to nausea during a workout as the stomach tries to digest it.</p>
<p>Certain fats, particularly <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4424767/">saturated</a>, may induce nausea differently – with animal models showing they <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27873093/">irritate</a> and <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/01.ATV.21.6.991">damage</a> the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, which activates nerves in the lining of the stomach that link to the vomiting centre (located in the medulla oblongata) in the brain.</p>
<p>Consuming sports drinks or other <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28646834/">high-carbohydrate drinks</a> (such as juices, energy drinks and sodas), are also <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-014-0153-2">linked to nausea</a> during and <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0897190002239633">after a workout</a>. This may be because these drinks <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0897190002239633">are digested very slowly</a> and stay in the stomach longer than other drinks might.</p>
<p>If you’re someone who often experiences nausea after a workout, there are a couple of things you can do. First, change or reduce your usual workout, and build up intensity slowly. This is because the longer the workout, the more blood is consistently drawn away from the stomach. Make sure you drink enough water before and after a workout, as both too little and too much can cause nausea for different reasons. </p>
<p>In terms of eating, avoid it two hours before, and choose the right food – such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5794245/">high quality carbohydrates</a> (such as bananas or sweet potatoes) and protein, as well as unsaturated fats (such as nuts). These will not only fuel the body, but they won’t be as difficult to digest as other foods if you plan to work out.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/182823/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Adam Taylor is affiliated with the Anatomical Society. </span></em></p>Try to avoid eating an hour or two before a workout.Adam Taylor, Professor and Director of the Clinical Anatomy Learning Centre, Lancaster UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1706492021-12-23T20:51:46Z2021-12-23T20:51:46ZStep away from the table – why you keep eating when you’re full<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435511/original/file-20211203-25-yoz1lz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C35%2C6000%2C4203&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Ever eaten that last slice of pizza, even though you’ve had enough? Or polished off kids’ leftovers, despite already feeling full?</p>
<p>To understand what’s happening – and how to fix it – let’s explore your body’s “stop eating signals” (satiety signals).</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-the-science-of-hangry-or-why-some-people-get-grumpy-when-theyre-hungry-37229">Health Check: the science of 'hangry', or why some people get grumpy when they're hungry</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435504/original/file-20211203-23-l0pfnq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A woman covers her mouth while eating and looking full." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435504/original/file-20211203-23-l0pfnq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435504/original/file-20211203-23-l0pfnq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/435504/original/file-20211203-23-l0pfnq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/435504/original/file-20211203-23-l0pfnq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/435504/original/file-20211203-23-l0pfnq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/435504/original/file-20211203-23-l0pfnq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/435504/original/file-20211203-23-l0pfnq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">It’s helpful to understand how your body tells you it’s time to stop eating.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The science of satiety signals</h2>
<p>Your body’s satiety signals kick in when your brain senses you’ve consumed enough of the nutrients you need.</p>
<p>Your brain takes its cue from sources such as:</p>
<ul>
<li><p><a href="https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2019/11/415916/we-know-were-full-because-intestines-stretch-sensors-tell-us-so">stretch signals</a> from your gastrointestinal tract (like your stomach and intestines), which indicate the volume of foods and drinks you’ve consumed</p></li>
<li><p>“satiety hormones”, such as <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2021.684656/full">cholecystokinin (CCK)</a> and <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2018.00442/full">peptide YY</a>, which are released into your bloodstream when particular nutrients from your digested food come into contact with certain parts of your gastrointestinal tract</p></li>
<li><p>nutrients from your digested food, which pass into your blood stream and can exert satiety effects directly <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5120084/?report=classic">on your brain</a></p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2021.585887/full">leptin</a>, the hormone primarily produced by adipose tissue, which stores excess nutrients from your food as fat. The more fat you have in your adipose tissue, the more leptin your adipose tissue releases into your blood stream, and the more your brain senses you’ve consumed enough of the necessary nutrients.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Your brain puts all those sources of information into a “satiety algorithm” and, at a certain point, sends you the signal that it’s time to stop eating.</p>
<p>This helps explain why, if you aren’t getting enough of the nutrients you need overall, you might feel unsatisfied and keep eating even when you’re full.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435510/original/file-20211203-21-78j6d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="People click wine glasses at a feast" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435510/original/file-20211203-21-78j6d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435510/original/file-20211203-21-78j6d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/435510/original/file-20211203-21-78j6d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/435510/original/file-20211203-21-78j6d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/435510/original/file-20211203-21-78j6d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/435510/original/file-20211203-21-78j6d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/435510/original/file-20211203-21-78j6d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Add an alcoholic drink or two to the mix, and it may get even easier to ignore satiety signals.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>I’m eating nutritious foods so why can’t I stop?</h2>
<p>Your body’s satiety signals are easy to ignore – especially when you’re tempted with <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938412002363?via%3Dihub">varied and tasty foods</a> and you feel <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31216640/">social expectations to eat</a>. Add an alcoholic drink or two, and it may <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6981020/">get even easier</a> to ignore satiety signals.</p>
<p>Other factors may include your ethics about not wasting food, and habits such as routinely eating dessert after dinner – regardless of how you feel.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/concerned-about-overeating-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-food-addiction-169352">Concerned about overeating? Here's what you need to know about food addiction</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Eating is about emotions, too</h2>
<p>If you’ve ever overeaten while feeling bored, fearful, stressed, lonely, tired or guilty, you’ve discovered that food can improve your mood (at least temporarily). Indeed, some of the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41419-018-1129-1">hormones</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7056580/">natural brain chemicals</a> involved in satiety signalling have been shown to affect mood.</p>
<p>If you regularly keep eating when you’re full, it’s worth exploring possible underlying psychological contributors.</p>
<p>Depression, anxiety and stress (check <a href="https://www.thecalculator.co/health/DASS-21-Depression-Anxiety-Stress-Scale-Test-938.html">this test</a> to see if you’re experiencing the symptoms) have been linked to overeating. </p>
<p>So has post-traumatic stress disorder – and no, you don’t have to be a war veteran to have PTSD. <a href="https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/assessment/documents/PCL5_Standard_form_week.PDF">This survey</a> has a checklist of symptoms.</p>
<p>Eating disorders such as binge eating disorder or bulimia nervosa are also linked to overeating (check this <a href="https://insideoutinstitute.org.au/assessment/?started=true">survey</a> of symptoms to see if any apply to you). </p>
<p>Having had <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S003193842030278X?via%3Dihub">adverse experiences in childhood</a> can also play a role in habitual overeating. Try this <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/03/02/387007941/take-the-ace-quiz-and-learn-what-it-does-and-doesnt-mean">quiz</a> if you suspect this may apply to you.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428463/original/file-20211026-23-14wbegz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428463/original/file-20211026-23-14wbegz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428463/original/file-20211026-23-14wbegz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428463/original/file-20211026-23-14wbegz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428463/original/file-20211026-23-14wbegz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428463/original/file-20211026-23-14wbegz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428463/original/file-20211026-23-14wbegz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428463/original/file-20211026-23-14wbegz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Ever eaten beyond the point of ‘satisfied’ just to ‘finish it off’?</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>How to stop eating when you’re full</h2>
<p>If you suspect psychological contributors to overeating, know there are scientifically proven treatments that can help. </p>
<p>For example, depression and anxiety now have well established <a href="https://www.ranzcp.org/files/resources/college_statements/clinician/cpg/mood-disorders-cpg-2020.aspx">treatment pathways</a>. PTSD can be treated with proven <a href="https://www.phoenixaustralia.org/australian-guidelines-for-ptsd/">therapies</a>. Eating disorders can be treated effectively with <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/obr.13180">cognitive behavioural therapy for eating disorders</a>, among other treatments. Your local healthcare professional can help you find treatment options, and some are free.</p>
<p>Other strategies you may like to consider are listed below:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>keep a diary of your satiety signals so you learn to recognise them. Every time you eat, note whether you feel unsatisfied, satisfied or over-satisfied. Aim for “satisfied” every time. If you have an iPhone, you can use the free app I co-designed with Zubeyir Salis (a contributor to this article), based on scientific evidence (<a href="https://apps.apple.com/sa/app/wink-by-amanda-salis/id1495613647">Wink by Amanda Salis</a>)</p></li>
<li><p>when you recognise yourself eating to the point of feeling “over-satisfied”, note what’s happening in your satiety diary (or app). Feeling unworthy? Jealous? Irritated? Tired? Or are you procrastinating about something? Think about what you <em>really</em> need; give yourself more of that instead of food</p></li>
<li><p>choose a nutrient rich diet with a minimum of <a href="https://www.fao.org/3/ca5644en/ca5644en.pdf">ultra processed foods</a>, and heed cravings for particular healthy foods. This will help deliver the nutrients you need so your satiety signals are activated. Use <a href="https://healthyeatingquiz.com.au">this free, evidence-based quiz</a> to see if you’re on track for a nutrient rich diet</p></li>
<li><p>be the boss of how much food is served to you, so that only the amount you feel you can eat appears on your plate</p></li>
<li><p>unless you need to eat, put obstacles between yourself and food. Leftovers can be frozen or stored (<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-when-should-you-throw-away-leftovers-92256">safely</a>). Move away from the table once your satiety signals have told you it’s time to stop.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>May you always be “satisfied”.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-how-to-work-out-how-much-food-you-should-eat-30894">Health Check: how to work out how much food you should eat</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><em>Zubeyir Salis contributed to this article.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/170649/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Amanda Salis owns 50% of the shares in Zuman International, which receives royalties for books she has written about adult weight management, and income from education about adult weight management and research methodology. She also receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia.</span></em></p>Ever eaten that last slice of pizza, even though you’ve had enough? Or polished off kids’ leftovers, despite already feeling full? Here’s what’s happening and how to fix it.Amanda Salis, NHMRC Senior Research Fellow in the School of Human Sciences, The University of Western AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1719332021-12-10T01:53:57Z2021-12-10T01:53:57ZCOVID kilos: why now is the best time to shed them<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435993/original/file-20211207-136652-1r1hh9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/female-bare-feet-weight-scale-bathroom-785794792">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>If your clothes are feeling snug after lockdown, you’re not alone. A survey of more than 22,000 people across 30 countries found almost <a href="https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/one-in-three-australians-have-gained-weight-during">one-third of respondents</a> gained weight during the COVID pandemic.</p>
<p>Major contributors include stress, takeaway and working from home. Sound familiar?</p>
<p>As you gain more freedom of movement post-lockdown, some of this extra weight may come off naturally. However, your body might need a nudge to return to its pre-lockdown weight, and it’s probably better to act now than wait until New Year’s resolutions time. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/you-dont-have-to-be-the-biggest-loser-to-achieve-weight-loss-success-11587">You don't have to be the biggest loser to achieve weight loss success</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Harness your inner ‘fat brake’</h2>
<p>Humans tend to maintain a steady weight over time, give or take a few kilos. </p>
<p>One scientific theory on how the body does this is the “set point” theory. It posits that whenever we deviate from our weight set point, our body activates defence mechanisms that tend to shift us back to base. </p>
<p>When your weight goes up, your body may react by:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>reducing hunger and the amount of food needed to feel satisfied, possibly brought on by <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/9/2635">changing appetite hormones</a> </p></li>
<li><p>increasing your propensity to be <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/obr.13040">physically active</a>, which can involve conscious activity like walking, or even subconscious activity like fidgeting</p></li>
<li><p>raising your metabolic rate, a change that <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/114/4/1396/6315829">some people</a> exhibit more than others (you may notice feeling hot-under-the-collar if this happens to you).</p></li>
</ul>
<p>This array of physiological responses, which we call the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-now-is-the-best-time-to-go-on-a-diet-or-the-science-of-post-holiday-weight-loss-52075">fat brake</a>” because it slows fat gain, has been documented in experiments where adults were overfed for periods spanning several hours to several weeks. This time frame is similar to the time frame of feasting over a holiday season.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A slice of pizza in an open box." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436010/original/file-20211207-141979-1q8gwvt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436010/original/file-20211207-141979-1q8gwvt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436010/original/file-20211207-141979-1q8gwvt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436010/original/file-20211207-141979-1q8gwvt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436010/original/file-20211207-141979-1q8gwvt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436010/original/file-20211207-141979-1q8gwvt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436010/original/file-20211207-141979-1q8gwvt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">More takaways than usual contributed to lockdown weight gain.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/piece-pizza-box-650412841">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Practically speaking, this means in the aftermath of a brief period of overeating, you may find yourself having less interest in food and wanting to move more than usual.</p>
<p>In other words, a window of opportunity exists where your body is likely to work alongside you in shedding weight.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-now-is-the-best-time-to-go-on-a-diet-or-the-science-of-post-holiday-weight-loss-52075">Why now is the best time to go on a diet, or the science of post-holiday weight loss</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What happens if we overeat for months?</h2>
<p>The latest Sydney lockdown lasted almost four months (107 days). Melbourne’s lockdown was more fragmented, but no shorter in duration.</p>
<p>It’s not entirely clear how our bodies react to this length of potential overeating. This is because most human overfeeding experiments don’t last beyond two months.</p>
<p>One of the longest is a <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-abstract/56/5/857/4715531?redirectedFrom=fulltext">classic study</a> where “lean young men” were fed an excess of 4,200 kilojoules (1,000 calories) per day for 100 days. At the end, their metabolic rate was found to be higher than before the overfeeding began.</p>
<p>Importantly, in the four months post-experiment, they lost 82% of the weight and 74% of the fat they had gained. </p>
<p>These results are encouraging because they suggest the “fat brake” can remain active even after several months of overeating.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Young man walks in front of a purple house." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436007/original/file-20211207-25-ipr1i1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436007/original/file-20211207-25-ipr1i1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436007/original/file-20211207-25-ipr1i1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436007/original/file-20211207-25-ipr1i1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436007/original/file-20211207-25-ipr1i1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436007/original/file-20211207-25-ipr1i1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436007/original/file-20211207-25-ipr1i1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A study of lean young men found they lost most of the weight they’d gained.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-man-walking-casual-happy-on-761397553">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>All things, however, tend to come to an end. In <a href="https://jeatdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/2050-2974-2-8">animal studies</a>, the effects of the fat brake have been shown to subside with time. </p>
<p>We can’t predict if or when this might happen in humans, but we do know <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-789X.2004.00118.x">genes</a> play a major role in determining how our bodies respond to overeating. </p>
<p>We also know that loss of excess weight tends to be more permanent in children and young people, which could be related to a more <a href="https://www.endocrine-abstracts.org/ea/0039/ea0039OC9.2">flexible weight set point</a>.</p>
<p>So, the aforementioned study in “lean young men” likely presents the best-case scenario in terms of recovering from prolonged overeating. </p>
<p>For those of us who don’t have genes or age on our side, being proactive about post-lockdown weight loss and seizing the window of opportunity our fat brakes offer could provide a path of least resistance, at least from a physiological view point. </p>
<h2>How to go about losing COVID kilos</h2>
<p>It’s important to listen to your body’s signals. Eat only when you’re hungry and stop as soon as you’re satisfied. </p>
<p>When you are hungry, aim for smaller portions and lighter foods. One way to do this at mealtimes is to prioritise and “fill up” on vegetables before eating any other food on your plate. You may be surprised by how little it takes to feel satisfied, especially if your fat brake is activated. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-how-to-work-out-how-much-food-you-should-eat-30894">Health Check: how to work out how much food you should eat</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>If you have an iPhone, a free app (<a href="https://apps.apple.com/sa/app/wink-by-amanda-salis/id1495613647">Wink by Amanda Salis</a>) can help you learn to eat according to your body signals.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines">Australian Dietary Guidelines</a> provide evidence-based information on what foods to eat and how much to eat. For more personalised information, <a href="https://healthyeatingquiz.com.au/">this free quiz</a> offers a quick assessment of your diet and tailored ideas on things you could improve on.</p>
<p>To avoid eating when you’re not hungry, it’s helpful to do things that are active and exciting. Think team sports, dancing, or other activities you couldn’t do during lockdown. </p>
<p>It’s also a good idea to remove snacks and temptations around the house to minimise “mindless” grazing.</p>
<p>If you’re carrying more weight than a few excess COVID kilos, consider professional help. Young people who have support from a dietitian tend to <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13679-016-0190-2">lose more weight</a> than older adults who seek the same help. </p>
<p>For adults with related medical issues that would improve with weight loss, there are more intensive treatments that are effective for a majority of people, such as <a href="https://www.cell.com/heliyon/fulltext/S2405-8440(20)30851-3?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS2405844020308513%3Fshowall%3Dtrue">severely energy restricted liquid meal replacement diets</a> but this must be done under medical supervision. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/concerned-about-overeating-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-food-addiction-169352">Concerned about overeating? Here's what you need to know about food addiction</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/171933/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hoi Lun Cheng is affiliated with the the Wellbeing, Health & Youth (WH&Y) NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence. She receives competitive grant funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Amanda Salis owns 50% of the shares in Zuman International, which receives royalties for books she has written about adult weight management, and income from education about adult weight management and research methodology. She also receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia.</span></em></p>Your body might need a nudge to return to its pre-lockdown weight. And it’s probably better to act now than wait.Hoi Lun Cheng, Marie Bashir Clinical Research Fellow in Adolescent Health, University of SydneyAmanda Salis, NHMRC Senior Research Fellow in the School of Human Sciences, The University of Western AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1685492021-11-08T13:43:51Z2021-11-08T13:43:51ZDo flies really throw up on your food when they land on it?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/423207/original/file-20210925-14-1yipuw9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=115%2C121%2C3765%2C2445&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A fly regurgitating digestive juices.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Carlos Ruiz</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span></figcaption></figure><figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/curious-kids-us-74795">Curious Kids</a> is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to <a href="mailto:curiouskidsus@theconversation.com">curiouskidsus@theconversation.com</a>.</em></p>
<hr>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>Do flies really throw up on my food when they land on it? – Henry E., age 10, Somerville, Massachusetts</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<p>Imagine you’re at a picnic and just about to bite into your sandwich. Suddenly you spot a fly headed your way, homing in on your food with help from its <a href="https://askentomologists.com/2015/02/25/through-the-compound-eye/">compound eyes</a> and antennae. It manages to escape your swatting, lands on the sandwich and then seems to throw up on it!</p>
<p>It can look kind of gross, but the fly might be just airing out its own digested food, or <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/90.2.184">spitting on yours</a>.</p>
<p>Most of the <a href="https://www.si.edu/spotlight/buginfo/true-flies-diptera">over 110,000</a> known fly species <a href="https://doi.org/10.1673/031.008.7301">have no teeth</a>, so they cannot chew solid food. Their mouthparts are like a spongy straw. Once they land on your food, they need to release digestive juices to liquefy it into a predigested, slurpable soup they can swallow. In short, some flies are on a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1673/031.008.7301">liquid diet</a>.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N23E4jYTExk?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">A fly slurping its liquid meal.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>To fit more food in their stomachs, some flies try to reduce the liquid in what they have already eaten. They regurgitate food into vomit bubbles to dry it out a bit. Once <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3032.1992.tb01193.x">some water has evaporated</a> they can ingest this more concentrated food. </p>
<p>Human beings don’t need to do all this spitting and regurgitating to get nutrients out of our food. But you do produce a digestive juice in your saliva, an enzyme called <a href="https://1md.org/health-guide/digestive/ingredients/alpha-amylase">amylase</a>, which predigests some of the sandwich bread while you chew. Amylase breaks down starch, which you can’t taste, into simple sugars like glucose, which you can taste. That’s why <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/chemse/bjz010">bread gets sweeter</a> the longer you chew it. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/423212/original/file-20210925-23-18a0vfd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="closeup of a reddish insect with bristly black hairs on its body" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/423212/original/file-20210925-23-18a0vfd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/423212/original/file-20210925-23-18a0vfd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=459&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/423212/original/file-20210925-23-18a0vfd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=459&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/423212/original/file-20210925-23-18a0vfd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=459&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/423212/original/file-20210925-23-18a0vfd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=577&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/423212/original/file-20210925-23-18a0vfd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=577&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/423212/original/file-20210925-23-18a0vfd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=577&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Bristles and hair on a Tachinid fly.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Maria Cleopatra Pimienta</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Did you know flies can taste food without their mouths? As soon as they land, they use receptors on their feet to decide whether they’re on something nutritious. You may have noticed a fly rubbing its legs together, like a hungry customer getting ready to devour a meal. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2020.01.045">This is called grooming</a> – the fly is essentially cleaning itself, and may also clean the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conb.2009.07.001">taste sensors</a> on the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0649-14.2014">bristles and fine hair of its feet</a>, to get a better idea of what is in the food it has landed on.</p>
<h2>Should you trash food a fly’s landed on?</h2>
<p>When a fly touches down on your sandwich, that’s probably not the only thing it’s landed on that day. Flies often sit on gross stuff, like a dumpster or decomposing food, that’s full of microbes. The germs can hitch a ride and, if the fly stays put long enough, hop onto your meal. This is much more dangerous than their saliva because <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-16353-x">some of the microbes</a> can cause diseases, like <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.07.078">cholera</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1353/pbm.2006.0005">typhoid</a>. But if the fly doesn’t stay longer than a few seconds the <a href="https://theconversation.com/should-i-throw-away-food-once-a-fly-has-landed-on-it-50895">chances of microbes transferring are low</a>, and your food is probably fine. </p>
<p>To keep insects from landing on your food, you should always cover it. If your house is infested with flies, you can use <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-kill-fruit-flies-according-to-a-scientist-81740">simple traps</a> to get rid of them. Carnivorous plants can also eat the flies and help control their population.</p>
<h2>Are flies good for anything?</h2>
<p>Spitting on food and spreading diseases sounds disgusting, but flies aren’t all bad. </p>
<p>Watch closely the next time you’re outside and you might be surprised by how many flies visit flowers to get nectar. They’re an important group of <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/insects11060341">pollinators</a>, and many plants need flies to <a href="https://theconversation.com/tiny-cacao-flowers-and-fickle-midges-are-part-of-a-pollination-puzzle-that-limits-chocolate-production-154334">help them reproduce</a>.</p>
<p>Flies are also a good source of food for frogs, lizards, spiders and birds, so they’re a valuable <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.5807">part of the ecosystem</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429602/original/file-20211101-25-1rfhnd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="doctor working on patient's foot in background, tubes of maggots in foreground" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429602/original/file-20211101-25-1rfhnd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429602/original/file-20211101-25-1rfhnd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429602/original/file-20211101-25-1rfhnd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429602/original/file-20211101-25-1rfhnd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429602/original/file-20211101-25-1rfhnd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=531&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429602/original/file-20211101-25-1rfhnd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=531&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429602/original/file-20211101-25-1rfhnd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=531&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A doctor uses sterile maggots like those in these tubes to clean a patient’s foot wound.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/steril-gezüchtete-maden-im-vordergrund-in-reagenzgläsern-zu-news-photo/1213178783">Norbert Försterling/picture alliance via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Some <a href="https://doi.org/10.1134/S0013873819030023">flies have medical uses</a>, too. For example, doctors use blow fly maggots – the young, immature form of flies – to remove decomposing tissue in wounds. The maggots release antiviral and antimicrobial juices, and these have helped scientists create new treatments for infections.</p>
<p>More importantly, the fruit flies you may have seen flying around ripe bananas in your kitchen have been <a href="https://theconversation.com/ode-to-the-fruit-fly-tiny-lab-subject-crucial-to-basic-research-38465">invaluable in biological research</a>. Biomedical scientists from all over the world study fruit flies to find <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S1369-7021(11)70113-4">causes and cures for diseases and genetic disorders</a>. And in <a href="https://faculty.fiu.edu/%7Etheobald/people/">our lab</a>, we study what the world looks like to insects, and how they use their vision to fly. This knowledge can inspire engineers to build better robots.</p>
<p>So, although it’s a nuisance to shoo flies away from your sandwich, maybe you can spare a few bits of your lunch?</p>
<hr>
<p><em>Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to <a href="mailto:curiouskidsus@theconversation.com">CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com</a>. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.</em></p>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jamie Theobald receives funding from the National Science Foundation: IOS-1750833. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ravindra Palavalli-Nettimi does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A fly does some of its digesting outside its body before it even eats any food.Ravindra Palavalli-Nettimi, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Florida International UniversityJamie Theobald, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1622242021-06-14T12:25:10Z2021-06-14T12:25:10Z8 ways to manage body image anxiety after lockdown<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/405485/original/file-20210609-14971-1caet2m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=55%2C0%2C6189%2C4104&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Engaging with people who accept and appreciate your body as it is can help you feel more at peace with how you look.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/friends-wading-into-lake-in-summer-sun-royalty-free-image/1049718960">Hinterhaus Productions/DigitalVision via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Being able to socialize again may bring enthusiasm and a sense of normalcy – but it may also increase anxiety over how your body might have changed.</p>
<p>I am a psychologist who has <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=7kHjzaEAAAAJ">studied body image</a> for over 20 years, and I’ve seen how the COVID-19 pandemic could <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2020.05.048">affect health and well-being</a> in numerous ways, including <a href="https://www.eatingrecoverycenter.com/article/pandemic-body-image">body image</a>. Gyms were closed. Self-care rituals may have fallen by the wayside as stress and hardships like homeschooling and strained finances piled up. The pandemic also took away a major way people cope: <a href="https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/manage-social-support">Social support</a> through <a href="https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/manage-social-support">physical contact</a>.</p>
<p>Pandemic stress has led many people to turn to other coping mechanisms, with some harmful to both physical and mental health. In one study of 5,469 adults in Australia, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23317">35%</a> reported increased <a href="https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/by-eating-disorder/bed">binge eating</a>, or eating large amounts of food in a short amount of time, due to pandemic life. In another study of 365 adults in Italy, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2021.105122">25.7%</a> reported increased <a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/emotional-eating-during-covid-19-pandemic-4802077">emotional eating</a> over the course of lockdown. And in a survey of 3,000 adults in the U.S., <a href="https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2021/one-year-pandemic-stress">61% experienced undesired weight changes</a> since the start of the pandemic. It’s no wonder that people may feel anxiety over what others think about their changed appearance. </p>
<h2>What is body image?</h2>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S1740-1445(03)00011-1">Body image</a> is a person’s “inside view” – or feelings, perceptions, thoughts and beliefs – of their body. Body image can be positive, neutral or negative, and it can fluctuate. Situations that provoke negative body image – like not fitting into formerly comfortable clothes, noticing age-related changes in appearance, seeing an unflattering picture of yourself and comparing your body to a social media influencer – are called <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2004.07.008">body image threats</a>.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DoDzwM0gybg?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Former bikini model Mary Jelkovsky talks about viewing your body as an experience.</span></figcaption>
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<p>Body image threats have been <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.110426">part of the COVID-19 experience</a> for many people. The pandemic has also seen an increase in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2020.105062">struggles with eating</a> too much or too little, preoccupation with food, and anxiety about weight and body shape.</p>
<p>Fortunately, there are healthy ways to manage body anxiety and cultivate a positive body image while reemerging from the pandemic. </p>
<h2>1. Focus on what you appreciate about your body</h2>
<p>Rather than focusing on what has changed or what you don’t like about your body, focus on <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.11.006">what your body does for you</a>. This is different for everyone. For example, my arms allow me to hug my dogs, my legs allow me to take them for walks, my stomach allows me to digest food so I have energy and my brain helped me write this article. Your body is much more than its appearance. Appreciating your body and what it does for you is central to cultivating positive body image.</p>
<h2>2. Engage with others who accept and appreciate all bodies</h2>
<p>Be selective with who you want to spend time with after the pandemic. Start with people who are “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.11.007">body accepting</a>,” meaning they don’t talk badly about your body, their body or anyone else’s body – they may not even focus on appearance at all. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.06.006">Positive body image increases</a> when people engage with others who are body accepting. You can also practice being a person who shows body acceptance to others and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2010.01.001">pay it forward</a>.</p>
<h2>3. Practice self-compassion</h2>
<p>People’s bodies have helped them survive the trauma of a global pandemic. It’s important to be kind to yourself and your body if your appearance has changed. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860309032">Self-compassion</a> is being as kind to yourself as you would to a loved one going through a hard situation. Many studies have found that self-compassion is linked to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101856">higher positive body image</a>, and self-judgment is linked to a higher negative body image. Try to be mindful, or aware, of your experiences without judging them, and understand that others are in these difficult experiences with you. </p>
<h2>4. Engage in mindful movement</h2>
<p>If you are able, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/med-psych/9780190841874.003.0009">move your body</a> in ways that bring you joy and rejuvenation and help you connect with and listen to your body. Bodies and abilities are different, and what is mindful movement for someone else may not be for you. Some activities, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10640266.2020.1738909">such as yoga</a>, have been shown to promote positive body image as long as they don’t focus on appearance. Move in ways that help you focus on how much you enjoy moving rather than how you look while moving.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/405479/original/file-20210609-14856-9953zm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Person smiling and high-fiving friend while exercising" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/405479/original/file-20210609-14856-9953zm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/405479/original/file-20210609-14856-9953zm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/405479/original/file-20210609-14856-9953zm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/405479/original/file-20210609-14856-9953zm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/405479/original/file-20210609-14856-9953zm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/405479/original/file-20210609-14856-9953zm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/405479/original/file-20210609-14856-9953zm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Physical activity that focuses on how your body moves can help you connect with your body.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/smiling-woman-giving-high-five-to-her-friend-after-royalty-free-image/1220401267">Luis Alvarez/DigitalVision via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>5. Practice self-care</h2>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-017-0759-1">Ask your body what it needs</a> every day. Bodies need a regular supply of fuel, hydration, relaxation, stimulation and sleep. Self-care can be hard to fit into a schedule, but it is very important to plan actions and activities that restore you to your best self.</p>
<h2>6. Engage with nature</h2>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1663">Interacting with nature</a> is associated with a variety of health benefits, including <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.06.004">higher positive body image</a>. Activities that engage with nature, like hiking, may help you focus less on your appearance and more on how your body functions. Experiencing the beauty of nature can also help create opportunities for self-care, such as through rejuvenation and mindful movement.</p>
<h2>7. Refrain from body comparison</h2>
<p>It’s common for people to compare themselves to others. However, when they <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2006.06.004">frequently compare their appearance</a> to others perceived as more attractive, their body image becomes more negative. Body comparison can occur in many settings, and not just through social media – it can also happen in commonplace settings such as the beach, supermarket and school. When you find yourself comparing your body to others and start to feel negatively about your body, try one of the strategies above to restore a positive body image.</p>
<h2>8. Avoid the diet hype</h2>
<p>Studies show that <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/06/01/411217634/in-eating-lab-psychologist-spills-secrets-on-why-diets-fail">dieting does not work</a>: It is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m696">not associated with long-term weight loss</a> and often decreases overall well-being. Instead, focus on fueling your body when you are hungry with foods that provide your body with lasting energy. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2015.07.004">Eating intuitively</a> – using your natural hunger, appetite and satiety cues to determine when, what and how much to eat – is linked to health and well-being.</p>
<h2>Reemerging from the pandemic with confidence</h2>
<p>There are many strategies to help build a positive body image, and <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/positive-body-image-workbook/F926BED68CB0856D2A5536F7B13936BB">resources are available</a> to help you find one that works best for you. For those struggling with an eating disorder or severe negative body image, <a href="https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/help-support/contact-helpline">professional help</a> is the best path forward.</p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2015.04.001">Positive body image</a> isn’t just about feeling good about your appearance – it’s also accepting and loving your body regardless of how it looks, and engaging in self-care to attend to its needs. Practice these strategies regularly to promote and maintain positive body image as you safely and confidently reenter your social world.</p>
<p>[<em>Like what you’ve read? Want more?</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/the-daily-3?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=likethis">Sign up for The Conversation’s daily newsletter</a>.]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/162224/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tracy Tylka does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>After over a year of stress eating and seeing each other only through screens, anxiety over changes in physical appearance can make socializing again a daunting prospect.Tracy Tylka, Professor of Psychology, The Ohio State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1587392021-04-30T12:15:11Z2021-04-30T12:15:11ZFamily meals are good for the grown-ups, too, not just the kids<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/397948/original/file-20210429-17-1t7ozy9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=148%2C181%2C5318%2C3474&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Moms and dads have better physical and mental health when they dine with their children – despite all the work of a family meal.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/mother-cutting-daughters-food-at-breakfast-royalty-free-image/659856885">Thomas Barwick/DigitalVision via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>For all the parents feeling exhausted by the cooking, cleaning and planning of a million meals during the pandemic, there’s some good news. Commensality, or the sharing of food with others, is beneficial for your physical and mental health.</p>
<p>Most parents already know that family mealtimes <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.08.030">are great</a> <a href="https://triggered.edina.clockss.org/ServeContent?url=http://archfami.ama-assn.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Ffull%2F9%2F3%2F235">for the</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjca.2015.07.714">bodies</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/cd.155">the</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2001.00295.x">brains</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2009.03.011">the</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2014.1223">mental</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097/DBP.0000000000000520">health</a> of children. More than two decades of studies reveal that kids who eat with their families do better in school and have bigger vocabularies. They also have lower rates of depression, anxiety and eating disorders, as well as healthier diets and better cardiovascular health.</p>
<p>But what may come as unexpected news to beleaguered parents is that these same shared meals are also good for adults. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2013.07.012">Across the life span</a>, from young parents eating with toddlers to parents talking about pandemic-coping strategies with their school-age kids and Medicare-eligible <a href="https://doi.org/10.4082/kjfm.17.0060">adults</a> eating with younger generations, shared meals are associated with healthier eating and better mood.</p>
<h2>Healthy for all adults, but especially for parents</h2>
<p>For adults, both with and without children, there are numerous <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2012.03.008">health benefits to eating with others</a>. Even unrelated adults, like firefighters, have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/08959285.2015.1021049">enhanced team performance</a> when they cook and eat together as they await the call to action.</p>
<p>On the flip side, researchers have found that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2007.08.014">eating alone is associated with</a> an increased likelihood of skipping meals and the downstream effects – lower intakes of nutrients, reduced energy and poorer nutritional health.</p>
<p>Regardless of parental status, adults who eat with others tend to eat more fruits and vegetables and less fast food than those who eat alone. Even when a home cook isn’t particularly focused on healthy cooking, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980014001943">home-cooked meals lower the odds that adults will be obese</a>. Large portion sizes, the embrace of fried foods and a heavy hand with butter are more common at restaurants than in a civilian’s kitchen.</p>
<p>Adults who park their dinner plates in front of the television may have a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2017.01.009">greater chance of weight gain</a>, just as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2006.10.010">evidence from the U.S.</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980013002954">Sweden, Finland and Portugal</a> supports the connection between obesity and kids’ eating dinner while watching TV.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/397949/original/file-20210429-13-9depck.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="two dads and two kids eating together" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/397949/original/file-20210429-13-9depck.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/397949/original/file-20210429-13-9depck.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/397949/original/file-20210429-13-9depck.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/397949/original/file-20210429-13-9depck.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/397949/original/file-20210429-13-9depck.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/397949/original/file-20210429-13-9depck.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/397949/original/file-20210429-13-9depck.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Kids may be the healthiest dining companions you can line up for yourself.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/new-family-enjoying-vegetarian-lunch-together-royalty-free-image/1217374721">10'000 Hours/DigitalVision via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In addition to these benefits of dining with others, there are additional boosts for adults who eat with their children – and they <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2018.05.006">pertain equally to mothers and fathers</a>. When kids are present at mealtime, parents may eat more healthily, perhaps to model good behavior and provide the best nourishment they can to their kids. When there is plenty of conversation with kids chiming in, the pace of eating slows down, allowing diners’ brains to register fullness and signal that it’s time to stop eating.</p>
<p>For kids, eating more family meals is associated with lower rates of obesity. The act of eating with others does not correlate with reduced weight gain in adults, though – <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980011000127">unless their dining companions include children</a>. Parents who dine with their kids also tend to report <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2012.03.008">less dieting and binge-eating behavior</a>. Parents may dial back some of these destructive behaviors when they know their kids are watching and ready to imitate.</p>
<h2>Despite all the work, a boost for mental health</h2>
<p>It may seem counterintuitive that a process that demands so much time and resources – the energy to plan the meal, shop for it, prepare it, serve it and clean up after – could also lead to boosts in mental health. Much more obvious is how kids would benefit from their parents’ demonstrating their love and care by providing nightly dinners.</p>
<p>But researchers have found that having frequent family meals is associated with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2018.05.006">better mental health for both mothers and fathers</a>, despite <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980017002270">mothers’ carrying more of the burden of meal prep</a>. Compared with parents who rarely ate family meals, parents who regularly dined with their kids reported higher levels of family functioning, greater self-esteem and lower levels of depressive symptoms and stress.</p>
<p>And mental health benefits don’t depend on a slow-roasted pork shoulder or organic vegetables. Since it’s the atmosphere at the dinner table that contributes most significantly to emotional well-being, takeout or prepared food eaten at home will work nicely too.</p>
<p>In an earlier study of parents of infants and toddlers, couples who attached more meaning and importance to family meals were <a href="https://doi.org/10.2307/353344">more satisfied with their marital relationship</a>. It’s unclear in which direction the causality goes. Is it that those in more satisfying marriages gravitate toward creating daily rituals? Or that enacting daily rituals leads to more robust relationships? In either case, the establishment of meaningful rituals, like shared mealtime, during early stages of parenthood may add some predictability and routine at a time of life that can be very busy and fragmented.</p>
<p>Just as for children, family dinner is the most reliable time of the day for adults to slow down and talk to others. It’s a time to step away from video calls, emails and to-do lists, and instead connect face to face. Dinnertime often allows for a few laughs, a time to decompress and also to solve logistical problems and talk about the day’s events and what tomorrow holds.</p>
<h2>Family meals are a COVID-19 habit to keep</h2>
<p>For parents taking the long view, there is another perk to family dinner. When adolescents grow up having regular family dinners, they are much more likely to replicate that practice <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2017.08.010">in their own homes when they become parents</a>. Adults who reported having had six to seven family meals a week as a child went on to have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000046">frequent family meals with their own children</a>. Family dinner and its benefits may be an heirloom you pass along to future generations.</p>
<p>Shared mealtime, however, is not equally accessible to all. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980011000127">Frequent family dinners are</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2012.03.008">more common among</a> white Americans, those with higher levels of education, married people and those with household incomes that are middle class or higher. While family meal frequency in the U.S. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2012.06.004">remained quite steady overall from 1999 to 2010</a>, it decreased significantly (47% to 39%) for low-income families while increasing (57% to 61%) for high-income families. This gap can be understood in terms of structural disparities: Low-income parents often have less control over their work schedules and may need to juggle more than one job to make ends meet.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/397950/original/file-20210429-20-2n7rzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="multigenerational family eating a meal at the table" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/397950/original/file-20210429-20-2n7rzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/397950/original/file-20210429-20-2n7rzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/397950/original/file-20210429-20-2n7rzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/397950/original/file-20210429-20-2n7rzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/397950/original/file-20210429-20-2n7rzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/397950/original/file-20210429-20-2n7rzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/397950/original/file-20210429-20-2n7rzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Family meals can be a habit passed from one generation to the next.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/generations-laughing-together-at-meal-royalty-free-image/528973981">Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVision via Getty Images</a></span>
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</figure>
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<p>As people now tiptoe back to living more expansively, many are reflecting on what they learned during the pandemic that might be worth holding on to. There is some evidence that <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12082352">more families ate more meals together</a> during the COVID-19 pandemic than ever before. Some families who didn’t prioritize eating together pre-pandemic may emerge from the past year with a new appreciation of the joys of commensality. Of course, others may already be bookmarking all their favorite restaurants, eager to have chefs cook for them after feeling depleted by so much home labor.</p>
<p>But parents may want to remember that the science suggests shared mealtime is good for the mental and physical health of each member of the family. As people start to heal from this past year of loss, disruption and anxiety, why not continue to engage in nourishing practices that are helpful to all? <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=sh-v7eQAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">In my family therapy practice</a>, it will be a top recommendation.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/158739/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Anne Fishel is the executive director and co-founder of The Family Dinner Project, a non-profit initiative, based at Massachusetts General Hospital, that helps families improve the quality and frequency of their shared mealtime. </span></em></p>All that planning, shopping, prepping, serving and cleaning can pay off with better physical and mental health for all members of the family.Anne Fishel, Associate Clinical Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School, Harvard UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1578522021-04-02T12:18:32Z2021-04-02T12:18:32ZUnwanted weight gain or weight loss during the pandemic? Blame your stress hormones<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392966/original/file-20210331-21-h3dbvx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3902%2C2561&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Stress hormones are closely tied to hunger and motivation.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/young-woman-is-weighing-herself-in-a-weighing-scale-royalty-free-image/1139272587?adppopup=true">Karl Tapales/Moment via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392963/original/file-20210331-17-1uy16hd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392963/original/file-20210331-17-1uy16hd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392963/original/file-20210331-17-1uy16hd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392963/original/file-20210331-17-1uy16hd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392963/original/file-20210331-17-1uy16hd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392963/original/file-20210331-17-1uy16hd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392963/original/file-20210331-17-1uy16hd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392963/original/file-20210331-17-1uy16hd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="attribution"><a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
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<p>If you have experienced unwanted weight gain or weight loss during the pandemic, you are not alone. According to a poll by the American Psychological Association, <a href="https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2021/03/march-weight-change">61% of U.S. adults reported undesired weight change</a> since the pandemic began. </p>
<p>The results, released in March 2021, showed that during the pandemic, 42% of respondents gained unwanted weight – 29 pounds on average – and nearly 10% of those people gained more than 50 pounds. On the flip side, nearly 18% of Americans said they experienced unwanted weight loss – on average, a loss of 26 pounds.</p>
<p>Another study, published on March 22, 2021, assessed weight change in 269 people from February to June 2020. The researchers found, on average, that people gained a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.2536">steady 1.5 pounds per month</a>.</p>
<p>I am a <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=sOMbzQ0AAAAJ">nutritional neuroscientist</a>, and my research investigates the relationship between diet, lifestyle, stress and mental distress such as anxiety and depression. </p>
<p>The common denominator to changes in body weight, especially during a pandemic, is stress. Another poll done by the <a href="https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2021/02/adults-stress-pandemic#:%7E:text=The%20majority%20of%20adults%20reported,the%20U.S.%20Capitol%20on%20Jan">American Psychological Association</a> in January 2021 found that about 84% of U.S. adults experienced at least one emotion associated with prolonged stress in the prior two weeks.</p>
<p>The findings about unwanted weight changes make sense in a stressful world, especially in the context of the body’s stress response, better known as the fight-or-flight response.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392964/original/file-20210331-23-o2jkk1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A 3D model of cortisol" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392964/original/file-20210331-23-o2jkk1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392964/original/file-20210331-23-o2jkk1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=357&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392964/original/file-20210331-23-o2jkk1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=357&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392964/original/file-20210331-23-o2jkk1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=357&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392964/original/file-20210331-23-o2jkk1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392964/original/file-20210331-23-o2jkk1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392964/original/file-20210331-23-o2jkk1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Neurotransmitters – like cortisol, seen here – mediate the fight-or-flight response and can have a huge impact on eating and behavior.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cortisol-3D-balls.png#/media/File:Cortisol-3D-balls.png">Ben Mills/Wikimedia Commons</a></span>
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<h2>Fight, flight and food</h2>
<p>The fight-or-flight response is an innate reaction that evolved as a survival mechanism. It empowers humans to react swiftly to acute stress – like a predator – or adapt to chronic stress – like a food shortage. When faced with stress, the body wants to keep the brain alert. It decreases levels of some hormones and brain chemicals in order to turn down behaviors that won’t help in an urgent situation, and it increases other hormones that will.</p>
<p>When under stress, the body lowers levels of neurotransmitters such as <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.4103%2F0975-7406.111818">serotonin, dopamine and melatonin</a>. Serotonin regulates emotions, appetite and digestion. So, low levels of serotonin <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2010.09.003">increase anxiety and can change a person’s eating habits</a>. Dopamine – another feel-good neurotransmitter – regulates <a href="https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.58321">goal-oriented motivation</a>. Dwindling levels of dopamine can translate into lower motivation to exercise, maintain a healthy lifestyle or perform daily tasks. When people are under stress, they also produce <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2010.09.003">less of the sleep hormone melatonin</a>, leading to trouble sleeping.</p>
<p>Epinephrine and norepinephrine mediate the physiological changes associated with stress and are <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.4103%2F0975-7406.111818">elevated in stressful situations</a>. These biochemical changes can cause mood swings, impact a persons’s eating habits, reduce goal-oriented motivation and disrupt a person’s circadian rhythm. </p>
<p>Overall, stress can throw your eating habits and motivation to exercise or eat healthy way out of balance, and this last year has certainly been a stressful one for everyone. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392967/original/file-20210331-17-1qi0k5s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A spoon with chocolate spread" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392967/original/file-20210331-17-1qi0k5s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392967/original/file-20210331-17-1qi0k5s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=384&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392967/original/file-20210331-17-1qi0k5s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=384&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392967/original/file-20210331-17-1qi0k5s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=384&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392967/original/file-20210331-17-1qi0k5s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=483&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392967/original/file-20210331-17-1qi0k5s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=483&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392967/original/file-20210331-17-1qi0k5s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=483&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Sugars give an immediate but short-lasting mood boost.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/chocolate-spread-in-spoon-a-jar-of-hazelnut-royalty-free-image/613319032?adppopup=true">MarianVejcik/iStock via Getty Images Plus</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Easy calories, low motivation</h2>
<p>In both of the studies, people self-reported their weight, and the researchers didn’t collect any information about physical activity. But, one can cautiously assume that most of the weight changes were due to people gaining or losing body fat.</p>
<p>So why did people gain or lose weight this last year? And what explains the dramatic differences?</p>
<p>Many people find comfort in high-calorie food. That is because chocolate and other sweets can make you happy by <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27166525/">boosting serotonin levels in the short term</a>.
However, the blood clears the extra sugar very quickly, so the mental boost is extremely short-lived, leading people to eat more. Eating for comfort can be a natural response to stress, but when combined with the lower motivation to exercise and consumption of low-nutrient, calorie-dense food, stress can result in unwanted weight gain. </p>
<p>What about weight loss? In a nutshell, the brain is connected to the gut through a <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/gut-brain-connection#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2">two-way communication system called the vagus nerve</a>. When you are stressed, your body inhibits the signals that travel through the vagus nerve and slows down the digestive process. When this happens, people experience fullness. </p>
<p>The pandemic left many people confined to their homes, bored and with plenty of food and little to distract them. When adding the stress factor to this scenario, you have a perfect situation for unwanted weight changes. Stress will always be a part of life, but there are things you can do – like <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/positive-self-talk#_noHeaderPrefixedContent">practicing positive self-talk</a> – that can help ward off the stress response and some of its unwanted consequences.</p>
<p>[<em><a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/the-daily-3?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=experts">Expertise in your inbox. Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter and get expert takes on today’s news, every day.</a></em>]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/157852/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lina Begdache receives funding from the National Science Foundation, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, New York State Health Foundation, Regional Economic Development Council and other foundation and intramural sources.</span></em></p>It’s been a stressful year, and for 61% of US adults, a year of unwanted weight change too. This isn’t surprising, as stress, eating and motivation are all linked through hormones in the brain.Lina Begdache, Assistant Professor of Nutrition, Binghamton University, State University of New YorkLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1523002020-12-23T13:46:40Z2020-12-23T13:46:40ZWould you eat indoors at a restaurant? We asked 5 health experts<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/376158/original/file-20201221-17-1vz3kj3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Open to eat indoors – but will you?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/banner-bearing-the-words-were-now-open-to-eat-in-seen-at-a-news-photo/1227801524?adppopup=true">David Mbiyu/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Earlier this fall, many of the nation’s restaurants opened their doors to patrons to eat inside, especially as the weather turned cold in places. Now, as <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_totalcases">COVID-19 cases surge</a> across the country, some <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/11/nyregion/indoor-dining-nyc.html">cities and towns have banned indoor</a> dining while others have permitted it with restrictions. Still other geographies <a href="https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/government-elections/info-2020/coronavirus-state-restrictions.html">have no bans at all</a>.</p>
<p>The restaurant and hospitality industry has reacted strongly, filing <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/coronavirus-restrictions-virginia-maryland-dc/2020/12/16/96c303be-3fa8-11eb-9453-fc36ba051781_story.html">lawsuits challenging indoor dining bans</a> and, in New York state, pointing to data that showed restaurants and bars <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/restaurants-bars-account-less-2-percent-new-covid-19-cases-new-york-1554206">accounted for only 1.4% of cases there</a> – far lower compared with private gatherings.</p>
<p>We asked five health professionals if they would dine indoors at a restaurant. Four said no – and one had a surprising answer.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="4 out of 5 experts say no" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/376409/original/file-20201222-23-1ko4hgg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/376409/original/file-20201222-23-1ko4hgg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=138&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376409/original/file-20201222-23-1ko4hgg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=138&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376409/original/file-20201222-23-1ko4hgg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=138&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376409/original/file-20201222-23-1ko4hgg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=174&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376409/original/file-20201222-23-1ko4hgg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=174&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376409/original/file-20201222-23-1ko4hgg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=174&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="attribution"><span class="source">The Conversation</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<h2>Not an option</h2>
<p><strong>Dr. Laurie Archbald-Pannone, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Virginia</strong></p>
<p>No. March 12, 2020 was the last day I ate indoors at a restaurant. At the time, there was mild apprehension – but much changed that week. The COVID-19 pandemic altered many aspects of “normalcy,” and for me eating inside at a restaurant is one of those activities. I loved eating out and typically would eat out three times a week (sometimes more!). But understanding how the COVID-19 infection is transmitted, I feel that being inside without a mask on – even just to eat – is not an option for me. I strongly believe that we need to support our community through these challenging times, so we still get curbside pickup or delivery from our favorite local restaurants at least three times a week – sometimes more! – but it will be a while before I’m back inside. When I do return I’m definitely getting dessert.</p>
<h2>Great risk</h2>
<p><strong>Dr. Thomas A. Russo, Chief of Infectious Disease Division, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo</strong></p>
<p>No. And it’s been “no” right from the beginning.</p>
<p>We have a little more information now, but what I <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-lower-your-coronavirus-risk-while-eating-out-restaurant-advice-from-an-infectious-disease-expert-138925">said in the spring</a> hasn’t really changed. The <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.28.20029272v2">greatest risk</a> of getting infected with SARS-CoV-2 is being indoors with people who aren’t using masks at all times. The concern isn’t just big respiratory droplets when close to someone talking; it’s also the <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-covid-19-superspreaders-are-talking-where-you-sit-in-the-room-matters-145966">tiny aerosols</a> that linger in the air.</p>
<p>Making it even riskier is the generally poor ventilation in many restaurants. The key differences between indoor dining and shopping in a big box store or grocery store are: 1) big stores have more ventilation and greater air space; 2) everyone can wear a mask at all times; 3) you’re not fixed in space, so if you see someone who just has a bandanna or their mask drops down below their nose, you can steer clear of them; and 4) it should take less time than dinner out. At a restaurant, you’re stuck at that table. If a party near you is having an animated conversation, they could be generating a lot of respiratory secretions. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e415">Some interesting studies</a> have looked at the airflow and air currents in restaurants in relation to <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/7/20-0764_article">where people became infected</a>. In one, a person was <a href="https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e415">20 feet away</a> from the source for only about 5 minutes, but the person was directly in the airflow and became infected. It’s a reminder of what we’ve been saying – there’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-a-smoky-bar-can-teach-us-about-the-6-foot-rule-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-145517">nothing magical about 6 feet</a>. The high degree of community disease in the U.S. right now increases the likelihood that another diner in the restaurant is infected. If you are tired of cooking and need a break, takeout is the way to go.</p>
<h2>Careful mixed with trust</h2>
<p><strong>Sue Mattison, Provost and Professor in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences,
Drake University</strong></p>
<p>Yes. As an epidemiologist, my response may seem surprising or hypocritical: I do eat at local restaurants, but only because in April, like more than <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_casesper100klast7days">17 million Americans since that time</a>, I tested positive for COVID-19 and recovered. According to the <a href="https://directorsblog.nih.gov/2020/12/08/study-of-healthcare-workers-shows-covid-19-immunity-lasts-many-months/">latest evidence</a>, I believe I have immunity for now, and perhaps longer. But I am not pushing my luck. </p>
<p>I have my own list of four restaurants where I eat. I trust these restaurants because each has drastically reduced their number of tables and spaced them at least 6 feet apart, and everyone inside is diligent about wearing a mask. My husband and I also order takeout a lot. It is important to reiterate, however, that evidence shows <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6936a5.htm">restaurants are a significant source of infection</a>, and those who have not recovered from COVID-19 should refrain from eating at restaurants until the community gets a better handle on the spread of infection.</p>
<h2>Short-term sacrifices</h2>
<p><strong>Dr. Ryan Huerto, Family Medicine Physician, Health Services Researcher and Clinical Lecturer, University of Michigan</strong> </p>
<p>No. While I understand many factors contribute to indoor dining, such as the mental health toll of social isolation, the opportunity to support small businesses and cold weather, I strongly recommend against indoor dining.</p>
<p>The risk of contracting COVID-19 from indoor activities is far greater than from physically distanced outdoor activities. The recent spike in COVID-19 infections, deaths and ICU bed shortages is <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/the-post-thanksgiving-covid-19-surge-is-here-what-to-expect-now">likely linked to indoor gatherings during Thanksgiving</a>.</p>
<p>On Dec. 22, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html">201,674 infections and 3,239 deaths</a> due to COVID-19 were reported. This death toll is equivalent to approximately 20 Boeing 737 aircrafts crashing in a single day. </p>
<p>Even with a COVID-19 vaccine approved, staying home, physically distancing, wearing a mask and good hand hygiene are as important as ever. Think of these as short-term sacrifices to help protect your friends, family, neighbors and essential workers.</p>
<p>Instead of dining in, please consider exponentially safer alternatives such as ordering delivery or curbside pickup.</p>
<h2>Restaurants pose big risk</h2>
<p><strong>Kathleen C. Brown, Associate Professor of Practice and MPH Program Director, College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, University of Tennessee</strong></p>
<p>No. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6936a5.htm">reported that patients testing positive were twice as likely</a> to have eaten in a restaurant than those testing negative in the 14 days preceding their test. I regularly get takeout but do not eat in restaurants. </p>
<p>What I cannot control poses a risk. I have very open and honest conversations with family and friends about where we have been and who we have been with. From there, our risk is pretty clear but still not at zero. The more people I come into contact with, the greater the risk. </p>
<p>In a restaurant, I am not able to assess the risk posed by other patrons or the staff. Each person in that restaurant has a network of others that, taken together, increases my risk of contracting COVID-19. Currently, Tennessee, where I live, is the <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_casesper100klast7days">second-leading state for cases per 100,000</a>, which means community spread is high. </p>
<p>In plain language, that means there is an increased likelihood that I may come into contact with someone who is infectious – symptomatic or not – if I eat inside a restaurant. I will continue to pick up my takeout for now.</p>
<p>[<em>Deep knowledge, daily.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/the-daily-3?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=deepknowledge">Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter</a>.]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/152300/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Experts weigh in on whether they will sit and eat at a restaurant.Laurie Archbald-Pannone, Associate Professor Medicine, Geriatrics, University of VirginiaKathleen C. Brown, Associate Professor of Practice and MPH Program Director, College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, University of TennesseeRyan Huerto, Family Medicine Physician, Health Services Researcher and Clinical Lecturer, University of MichiganSue Mattison, Provost and Professor in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences., Drake UniversityThomas A. Russo, Professor and Chief, Infectious Disease, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at BuffaloLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1505312020-12-22T20:57:03Z2020-12-22T20:57:03ZFood in good times and bad: what did 2020 teach us about the way we eat?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/372999/original/file-20201204-21-1l4f1u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">James Gourley/AAP</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Pasta. Rice. Tinned tomatoes. All staples that, prior to 2020, most of us never thought would be in <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/i-do-feel-a-bit-crazy-australians-stockpiling-food-to-prepare-for-coronavirus-20200229-p545kh.html">short supply</a>. </p>
<p>This year has taught us a lot, including about food and what it means to us. It’s also highlighted just how differently modern Australians behave in relation to food, especially when comparing our behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic to past crises. </p>
<iframe title="How food connects us: in good times and bad." height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/ka6ia-f31dfa?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=1&pfauth=&btn-skin=107"></iframe>
<p>The Depression took place in a much more homogeneous Australia than today, where everyone enjoyed the same repertoire of standard dishes. Everyone made a Sunday roast and then made it last for the next few days. </p>
<p>As the COVID-19 pandemic hit Australia, we were forced to examine many of our social and cultural assumptions. When it comes to food, we are used to having anything we want at any hour of the day, in any season. </p>
<p>Our food choice has expanded exponentially in the past century. Our <a href="https://media.healthyfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Pantry-Checklist-FINAL-23.01.18.pdf">basic pantry</a> of cooking essentials is more than double what is was 100 years ago.</p>
<p>So why did we hoard? Yes, probably out of panic, but also because we are so used to having plenty that we no longer have the skills to substitute nor, perhaps, the determination to just “make do”. </p>
<h2>Where do we get our food?</h2>
<p>2020 has also shown us how the way we eat relies on global, not local, systems. During the Spanish Flu pandemic and the Depression, almost all our food was grown, produced, processed and packaged in Australia. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-many-people-can-australia-feed-76460">How many people can Australia feed?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Today, we are a <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/fisheries/aus-seafood-trade">net importer</a> of seafood. We’re also a net importer of some canned products, such as <a href="https://www.horticulture.com.au/globalassets/hort-innovation/resource-assets/ah15001-australian-horticulture-statistics-handbook-fruit-.pdf">pineapple</a>. Yes, a lot of our food comes from New Zealand, but a <a href="https://esriau.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=683054272d014e3aafacfecbfac9c8d7#">significant percentage</a> also comes from America and China, Thailand and Cambodia.</p>
<p>As we’re seeing now, a heavy reliance on imports doesn’t only affect us during a health crisis like COVID, when freight becomes an issue: the <a href="https://theconversation.com/theres-no-need-for-panic-over-chinas-trade-threats-149828">current trade challenges</a> we are having with China also show us how geopolitics can affect a country’s food supply.</p>
<h2>Sourdough — not for everyone</h2>
<p>With the pandemic as our backdrop, several practices changed for us this year. As supply chains recalibrated (after that initial toilet paper panic) and we could mostly buy what we needed, we continued to cook or bake more – although this was nuanced by privilege. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Sourdough loaf" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/374183/original/file-20201210-23-y7mfb4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/374183/original/file-20201210-23-y7mfb4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374183/original/file-20201210-23-y7mfb4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374183/original/file-20201210-23-y7mfb4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374183/original/file-20201210-23-y7mfb4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374183/original/file-20201210-23-y7mfb4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374183/original/file-20201210-23-y7mfb4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">During the pandemic, pictures of homemade loaves have flooded social media feeds.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Making bread at home is wonderful, but <a href="https://theconversation.com/great-time-to-try-baking-sourdough-bread-136493">making sourdough bread</a> (an exercise requiring patience, attention and time) was not an option for everyone. </p>
<p>It was those with the means, and the capacity to work at home — without <a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-19-is-a-disaster-for-mothers-employment-and-no-working-from-home-is-not-the-solution-142650">too many caring </a>and home schooling responsibilities — who could indulge in this gourmet foodstuff. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/great-time-to-try-baking-sourdough-bread-136493">Great time to try: baking sourdough bread</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>In 2020, this new connection to food was confined to a certain group of people, who might be described as having both cultural and gastronomic capital.</p>
<h2>The case for greater self-sufficiency</h2>
<p>Another positive longer-term shift for our food culture may come with the current (COVID-amplified) <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-07/interest-in-regional-living-jumps-during-covid-19/12626992">trend to relocate</a> to regional and rural areas. Growing your own vegetables was encouraged during the Depression, and it’s far easier to do on a large rural block than a small urban one. </p>
<p>In the 1950s, <a href="https://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/free.nsf/0/23FE0713C6ECADB1CA25790B0014171D/$File/43060_1955_56.pdf">home production</a> was 46% of our total production of eggs. There has been a <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-the-world-starves-where-will-australia-get-its-food-666">call for some time</a> for <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/coronavirus-triggers-australian-self-sufficiency-push-20200412-p54j5q.html">more self-sufficiency</a> in Australia. But we’ve also had policies where our most <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-its-so-hard-to-eat-local-when-it-comes-to-fish-61023">valuable seafood</a> goes overseas because people there are willing to pay more for it than people here. We also export about 30% of our <a href="https://www.cherrygrowers.org.au/industry-statistics/">cherries</a>. </p>
<p>This needs to change, but it comes down to all of us being prepared to pay more for our food. We are so used to buying based on the cheapest price – a habit the supermarkets have fostered. If we want to permanently become more self-sufficient, we have to get rid of this cheap food mentality and pay a proper price for our food.</p>
<h2>How can we use food to stay connected at Christmas?</h2>
<p>If there was ever a time to think about these issues, it’s now. As we sit down for a meal with friends and family over the holiday season, many of us will be looking for the experience of “commensality” — the shared connection made with others through food. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Friends gathered around the table for a Christmas meal." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/374346/original/file-20201211-13-1ltws30.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/374346/original/file-20201211-13-1ltws30.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374346/original/file-20201211-13-1ltws30.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374346/original/file-20201211-13-1ltws30.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374346/original/file-20201211-13-1ltws30.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374346/original/file-20201211-13-1ltws30.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374346/original/file-20201211-13-1ltws30.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">When we share special food, we can also share memories.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Eating “together” can happen virtually — sitting in our respective locations enjoying the same meal, even if far
apart. Dishes can inspire shared memories, as evidence of the connection that food gives us in good times and bad. </p>
<p>Maybe this is an old family recipe, or a traditional dish. Maybe it’s just prawns and mangoes. </p>
<p>Of all the things we want to leave behind in 2020, a better understanding of where our food comes from, and how it connects us, are changes worth keeping. </p>
<p><em>Barbara Santich also talks about how food connects us on the <a href="https://podfollow.com/seriously-social/view">Seriously Social podcast</a> by the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/150531/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Barbara Santich receives funding from South Australian Department of Health. Grant previously received, in 1992.</span></em></p>COVID-19 showed us we can’t necessarily have anything we want at any hour of the day, or in any season.Barbara Santich, Professor emeritus, University of AdelaideLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1450172020-09-08T12:17:22Z2020-09-08T12:17:22ZA doctor’s open apology to those fighting overweight and obesity<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/356603/original/file-20200904-24-3gd05a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=3%2C3%2C791%2C480&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Doctors have told people who are overweight to exercise more and eat less, when in fact their overweight may be due to genetic or other factors that exercise won't change. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.uconnruddcenter.org/image-library?#">UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Obesity has emerged as a significant risk factor <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/obesity-increases-risk-covid-19-230500610.html">for poor outcomes</a> in patients infected with COVID-19. Based on how doctors and others in health care have previously treated patients with obesity or overweight conditions, my guess is that many will respond by declaring: “Well, it’s their own fault for being overweight!” </p>
<p>In the spirit of recognizing that people who struggle with weight loss include our family and friends, let me propose a different sentiment. </p>
<p>To those who we have shamed for having excess body weight and/or failing diets: “You were right, and we are sorry. After giving you undoable tasks, we ridiculed you. When you tried to tell us, we labeled you as weak and crazy. Because we didn’t understand what you were experiencing, we looked down on you. We had never felt it ourselves. We did not know. And for that, we apologize.” </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A woman and a nutritionist." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/356607/original/file-20200904-14-87q46a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/356607/original/file-20200904-14-87q46a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/356607/original/file-20200904-14-87q46a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/356607/original/file-20200904-14-87q46a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/356607/original/file-20200904-14-87q46a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/356607/original/file-20200904-14-87q46a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/356607/original/file-20200904-14-87q46a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A nutritionist talks with a patient at an obesity clinic in Mulhouse, France.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/reportage-in-the-obesity-clinic-in-mulhouse-france-news-photo/481681619?adppopup=true">BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>‘Fat shaming’ doesn’t work</h2>
<p>This is just one version of the apology we owe our fellow human beings whom we told to lose weight using diet and exercise. Then, when it didn’t work, we blamed them for our treatment plan failures and smothered their feedback with prejudice and persecution. </p>
<p>As a <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-david-prologo-md-fsir-abom-d-40071861/">physician and researcher</a>, I have worked in this space for many years. I have witnessed firsthand the life-altering power of preexisting ideas, judgments and stereotypes. I have seen how unfounded, negative ideas are woven through virtually every interaction that those struggling with weight loss endure when seeking help. </p>
<p>And there are tens of millions of them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classifies more than 70% of U.S. adults <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html">as overweight</a>, and more than 40% as obese. Those numbers continue to climb, and even when some manage to lose weight, <a href="https://www.apa.org/science/about/psa/2018/05/calorie-deprivation">they almost always gain it back</a> over time. </p>
<h2>Rash judgments</h2>
<p>To illustrate, imagine that I am your doctor. You have a body rash (which represents the condition of being overweight or obese), and you make an appointment with me to discuss a treatment plan. </p>
<p>During your visit, my office staff uses stigmatizing language and nonverbal signals that make it clear we are annoyed at the idea of dealing with another rash person. We invoke a set of assumptions that dictate the tone of our relationship, including the notions that you are lazy or ignorant or both. You will sense my disgust, which will make you uncomfortable. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, health care providers commonly treat patients who struggle with weight loss by assigning stereotypes, snap judgments and ingrained negative attributes – including <a href="https://4617c1smqldcqsat27z78x17-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/Weight-Bias-in-Healthcare.pdf">laziness, noncompliance, weakness and dishonesty.</a> </p>
<p>After this uncomfortable exchange, I will prescribe a treatment program for your rash and explain that it’s quite straightforward and easy to use. I will point you to several resources with pictures of smiling people with beautiful skin who never had a rash to emphasize how wonderful your outcome will be. “It’s just a matter of sticking to it,” I will say.</p>
<p>Back at home, you are excited to start treatment. However, you quickly realize that putting on the cream is unbearable. It burns; your arms and legs feel like they’re on fire shortly after you apply the treatment. You shower and wash off the cream. </p>
<h2>A dismal conversation</h2>
<p>After a few days, you try again. Same result. Your body will not accept the cream without intolerable burning and itching. You return to my office, and we have the following conversation:</p>
<p><strong>You</strong>: Doctor, I cannot stick to this plan. My body cannot tolerate the cream. </p>
<p><strong>Me</strong>: This is exactly why doctors do not want to deal with rash people. I’m giving you the treatment and you won’t stick to it. I put the cream on myself every morning without an issue.</p>
<p><strong>You</strong>: But you don’t have a rash! Putting this cream on when you have a rash is different than putting it on clear skin. I do want to get rid of my rash, but I cannot tolerate this cream. </p>
<p><strong>Me</strong>: If you don’t want to follow the treatment, that’s up to you. But it’s not the cream that needs changing. It is your attitude toward sticking with it.</p>
<p>This exchange illustrates prejudical behavior, bias and a disconnect between a provider’s perceptions and a patient’s experience. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="For people trying to lose weight, new approaches are needed." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/356452/original/file-20200903-24-1p8ih1t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/356452/original/file-20200903-24-1p8ih1t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=438&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/356452/original/file-20200903-24-1p8ih1t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=438&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/356452/original/file-20200903-24-1p8ih1t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=438&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/356452/original/file-20200903-24-1p8ih1t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=550&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/356452/original/file-20200903-24-1p8ih1t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=550&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/356452/original/file-20200903-24-1p8ih1t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=550&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">New approaches are needed for those trying to lose weight.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/cape-verdean-woman-weighing-herself-royalty-free-image/155771035?adppopup=true">Jamie Grill/JGI via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Prejudice and bias</h2>
<p>For someone who wants to lose weight, the experience of a diet and exercise prescription is not the same as for a lean person on the same program. Perceiving another person’s experience as the same as one’s own when circumstances are different <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2000.tb02464.x">fuels prejudice and bias</a>.</p>
<p>That night, though, you can’t help but wonder: “Is something wrong with me? Maybe my genes or thyroid or something? The cream seems so fun and easy for everyone else.” </p>
<p>At this point, the blame unconscionably lands on the patient. Despite an undeniable explosion of this rash, and abysmal treatment adherence rates while <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db313.htm">we have been touting the cream</a>, we stubbornly maintain it works. If the rash is expanding, and hundreds of millions of people are failing treatment or relapsing every day, well – it’s their own fault! </p>
<p>As time goes on, you feel increasingly discouraged and depressed because of this untenable situation. Frustration wears on your sense of optimism and chips away at your happy moments. You have this rash and you can’t tolerate the treatment plan, but no one believes you. They judge you, and say you choose not to use the cream because you lack willpower and resolve. You overhear their conversations: “It’s her own fault,” they say. “If that were me, I would just use the d#$% cream.” </p>
<p>This is the very definition of prejudice: an opinion, often negative, directed toward someone and related to something that the individual does not control. Although it has been extensively demonstrated that the causes for overweight and obesity are multifactorial, the myth that it’s the patient’s fault <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2000.tb02477.x">is still widely accepted</a>. This perception of controllability leads to the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nrn3800.pdf?origin=ppub">assignment of derogatory stigma</a>.</p>
<h2>A setup for failure</h2>
<p>That evening you sit alone. You think there’s not a single person on the planet who believes your body won’t tolerate this treatment. Society believes you brought this on yourself to begin with; there doesn’t seem to be a way out. </p>
<p>We have driven those with overweight and obesity conditions to this place far too many times. We have set them up to take the fall for our failed treatment approaches. When they came to us with the truth about tolerability, we loudly discredited them and said they were mentally weak, noncompliant or lazy. </p>
<p>[<em>Deep knowledge, daily.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/the-daily-3?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=deepknowledge">Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter</a>.]</p>
<p>So where do we go from here? If we agree to stop stigmatizing, stereotyping and blaming patients for our treatment failures, and we accept that our current nonsurgical paradigm is ineffective – what takes its place? </p>
<p>For starters, we need a new approach, founded on respect and dignity for patients. A fresh lens of acceptance and suspended judgment will allow us to shift our focus toward treatments for the body, rather than “mind over matter,” which is a concept we use for no other medical condition. A perspective based in objectivity and equality will allow caregivers to escape the antiquated blaming approach and perceive those with overweight or obese conditions in the same light as those with other diseases. Only then will we finally shift the paradigm.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/145017/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>J. David Prologo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>All too often the medical community ‘fat-shames’ patients trying to lose weight, when in fact obesity and overweight are complicated medical issues.J. David Prologo, Associate Professor, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1370592020-06-02T20:03:20Z2020-06-02T20:03:20ZPlates, cups and takeaway containers shape what (and how) we eat<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/337861/original/file-20200527-141291-aau3k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=2%2C0%2C995%2C520&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cup-coffee-red-fork-knife-spoon-1672141546">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Home cooks have been trying out their skills during isolation. But the way food tastes depends on more than your ability to follow a recipe. </p>
<p>Our <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25713964/">surroundings</a>, <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/485781">the people</a> <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jpepsy/article/25/7/471/952605">we share food with</a> and the design of our tableware – our cups, bowls and plates, cutlery and containers – affect the way we experience food.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/should-we-eat-breakfast-like-a-king-lunch-like-a-prince-and-dinner-like-a-pauper-86840">Should we eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>For example, eating from a heavier bowl can make you feel food is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0950329311000966?via%3Dihub">more filling and tastes better</a> than eating from a lighter one.</p>
<p>Contrast this with fast food, which is most commonly served in lightweight disposable containers, which encourages <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666312001754">fast eating</a>, <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f2907">underestimating</a> how much food you’re eating, and has even been linked to becoming <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23773044/">impatient</a>.</p>
<p>These are just some examples of the vital, but largely unconscious, relationship between the design of our tableware – including size, shape, weight and colour – and how we eat. </p>
<p>In design, this relationship is referred to as an object’s “<a href="https://jnd.org/affordances_and_design/">affordances</a>”. Affordances guide interactions between objects and people.</p>
<p>As Australian sociologist <a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/how-artifacts-afford">Jenny Davis writes</a>, affordances:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>…push, pull, enable, and constrain. Affordances are how objects shape behaviour for socially situated subjects.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Designed objects don’t <em>make</em> us do things.</p>
<h2>The colour of your crockery</h2>
<p>When you visit a restaurant, the chances are your dinner will be served on a plain white plate. </p>
<p>But French chef Sebastien Lepinoy has staff <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=-5gCBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT118&lpg=PT118&dq=Sebastien+Lepinoy+paint+plates&source=bl&ots=8jc3yBavYd&sig=ACfU3U0jRwMOQtM_NmOspLXcyXp9SiVTuQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjqzNzj3MPpAhUOxjgGHQnvDlEQ6AEwCnoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=Sebastien%20Lepinoy%20paint%20plates&f=false">paint the plates</a> to match the daily menu and “entice the appetite”.</p>
<p>Research seems to back him up. Coloured plates can enhance flavours to actually change the dining experience.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/337864/original/file-20200527-141291-17m4n6u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/337864/original/file-20200527-141291-17m4n6u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/337864/original/file-20200527-141291-17m4n6u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=253&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337864/original/file-20200527-141291-17m4n6u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=253&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337864/original/file-20200527-141291-17m4n6u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=253&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337864/original/file-20200527-141291-17m4n6u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=317&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337864/original/file-20200527-141291-17m4n6u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=317&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337864/original/file-20200527-141291-17m4n6u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=317&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The colour of your mug can influence the taste of your coffee.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/many-different-hands-holding-multi-colored-1230949390">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22128561">one study</a>, salted popcorn eaten from a coloured bowl tasted sweeter than popcorn eaten from a white bowl. In <a href="https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Does-the-colour-of-the-mug-influence-the-taste-of-Doorn-Wuillemin/476e322e1de2c705e8691e14c72c814fd79e5e09">another</a>, a café latte served in a coloured mug tasted sweeter than one in a white mug.</p>
<p>This association between colour and taste seems to apply to people from Germany to China. </p>
<p>A review of <a href="https://flavourjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13411-015-0033-1">multiple studies</a> conducted in many countries over 30 years finds people consistently associated particular colours with specific tastes. </p>
<p>Red, orange or pink is most often associated with sweetness, black with bitterness, yellow or green with sourness, and white and blue with saltiness.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/bitter-coffee-today-try-changing-the-colour-of-your-cup-33248">Bitter coffee today? Try changing the colour of your cup</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>The size of your plate</h2>
<p>The influence of plate size on meal portions depends on the dining experience and whether you are <a href="https://www.deakin.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/897365/DUBELAAR-JACR-Plate-Size-Meta-Analysis-Paper-2016.pdf">serving yourself</a>. In a buffet, for example, people armed with a small plate may eat more because they can go back for multiple helpings.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, average plate and portion sizes have <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/apr/25/problem-portions-eating-too-much-food-control-cutting-down">increased</a> over the years. Back in her day, grandma used to serve meals on plates 25cm in diameter. Now, the average dinner plate is 28cm, and many restaurant dinner plates have expanded to <a href="https://www.nisbets.com.au/size-of-plates">30cm</a>.</p>
<p>Our waistlines have also expanded. Research confirms we tend to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666311006064">eat more calories</a> when our plates are larger, because a larger capacity plate affords a greater portion size. </p>
<h2>Plastic is too often ignored</h2>
<p>The pace of our busy lives has led many people to rely on those handy takeaways in disposable plastic food containers just ready to pop into the microwave. And it’s tempting to use plastic cutlery and cups at barbecues, picnics and kids’ birthday parties.</p>
<p>In contrast to heavy, fragile ceramic tableware, plastic tableware is <a href="https://discardstudies.com/2019/05/21/disposability/">designed to be ignored</a>. It is so lightweight, ubiquitous and cheap we don’t notice it and pay little mind to its disposal.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/337855/original/file-20200527-141295-yzab1b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/337855/original/file-20200527-141295-yzab1b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/337855/original/file-20200527-141295-yzab1b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337855/original/file-20200527-141295-yzab1b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337855/original/file-20200527-141295-yzab1b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337855/original/file-20200527-141295-yzab1b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337855/original/file-20200527-141295-yzab1b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337855/original/file-20200527-141295-yzab1b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Plastics change the way we eat and drink.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/many-clean-plastic-boxes-food-packaging-1336991219">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Plastics have also changed how we eat and drink. An aversion to the strong smell of plastic containers that once might have caused people to <a href="https://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1162/0747936042312066?journalCode=desi">wrap their sandwiches before placing them in Tupperware</a> seems to have disappeared. We drink hot coffee though plastic lids. </p>
<p>Australian economic sociologist Gay Hawkins and her colleagues argue lightweight, plastic water bottles have created entirely new habits, such as “<a href="https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/ics/news/news_archive/2015/history_of_bottled_water_focus_of_new_book">constant sipping</a>” on the go. New products are then designed to fit and reinforce this habit.</p>
<h2>Aesthetics matter</h2>
<p>Healthy eating is not only characterised by what we eat but how we eat. </p>
<p>For instance, eating mindfully – more thoughtfully and slowly by focusing on the experience of eating – can help you feel <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-eating-slowly-may-help-you-feel-full-faster-20101019605">full faster</a> and make a <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/351A3D01E43F49CC9794756BC950EFFC/S0954422417000154a.pdf/structured_literature_review_on_the_role_of_mindfulness_mindful_eating_and_intuitive_eating_in_changing_eating_behaviours_effectiveness_and_associated_potential_mechanisms.pdf">difference</a> to how we eat. </p>
<p>And the Japanese cuisine <a href="https://guide.michelin.com/en/article/dining-out/kaiseki-cheatsheet-sg">Kaiseki</a> values this mindful, slower approach to eating. It consists of small portions of beautifully arranged food presented in a grouping of small, attractive, individual plates and bowls.</p>
<p>This encourages the diner to eat more slowly and mindfully while appreciating not only the food but the variety and setting of the tableware.</p>
<p>Japanese people’s slower eating practices even apply to “fast food”.</p>
<p>One <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/00346651211277654/full/html">study</a> found Japanese people were more likely to eat in groups, to stay at fast food restaurants for longer and to share fast food, compared with their North American counterparts.</p>
<p>Affordance theory is only now starting to account for <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0270467617714944">cultural diversity</a> in the ways in which designed objects shape practices and experiences. </p>
<p>The studies we have reviewed show tableware influences how we eat. Size, shape, weight, colour and aesthetics all play a part in our experience of eating.</p>
<p>This has wide implications for how we design for healthier eating – whether that’s to encourage eating well when we are out and about, or so we can better appreciate a tastier, healthier and more convivial meal at home.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/137059/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The colour, size, shape and weight of your cutlery and crockery affect how you eat. Your popcorn can seem saltier and your coffee sweeter.Abby Mellick Lopes, Associate Professor, Design Studies, Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, University of Technology SydneyKaren Weiss, PhD Candidate, Western Sydney UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1378642020-05-13T12:49:32Z2020-05-13T12:49:32ZCoronavirus diets: What’s behind the urge to eat like little kids?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/334477/original/file-20200512-82383-1r37xf4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=39%2C15%2C5169%2C3888&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Pizza, hot dogs and fries, oh my!</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/fast-food-royalty-free-image/1042132904?adppopup=true">Science Photo Library via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Have you noticed grabbing an extra bag of chips at the supermarket? Or eating more frozen dinners than you used to? Or even eating snacks that you haven’t eaten since you were a little kid?</p>
<p>The <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/covid-19-82431">COVID-19 pandemic</a> has upended nearly every facet of our daily lives, from how we dress, to how we work, to how we exercise. </p>
<p>It’s also changing the way we eat. As a registered dietitian and <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/150/5/1324/5736353">nutrition researcher</a>, I’m fascinated by the types of food people are buying during this strange time.</p>
<p>One <a href="https://foodinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/COVID-19-Consumer-Research.April2020.pdf">recent survey</a> found that 42% of respondents indicated they’re purchasing more packaged food than they typically would and less fresh food.</p>
<p>Sales of frozen pizza have almost doubled. Sales of frozen appetizers and snacks – think Bagel Bites – are over a third, while ice cream sales have increased 36%.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/restaurantsandnews/this-is-the-most-ordered-takeout-dish-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic/ar-BB12NoA0">According to Uber Eats</a>, the most common food delivery order in the United States has been french fries, while the most popular beverage has been soda.</p>
<p>To me, these foods have one thing in common: They’re the stuff we ate as kids. </p>
<p>Why might grown adults be reaching back into the pantry of their pasts? What is it about a pandemic that makes us feel like we’re teenagers at a sleepover? </p>
<p>The reasons are deeply rooted.</p>
<p>At its core, the purpose of food is to nourish. Of course food provides us with the necessary energy and balance of vitamins and minerals to power and fuel the body. But anyone who’s reached for a pint of Ben and Jerry’s after a particularly stressful day will know that nourishment is about more than nutrition. </p>
<p>During periods of stress, <a href="https://oce.ovid.com/article/00006842-200011000-00016/HTML">people tend to eat more and show a greater preference for higher calorie foods</a>. The sweeter and saltier the better. Regardless of hunger, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2009.221">a tasty snack can feel comforting</a>. There’s <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9384(92)90155-U">evidence to suggest</a> that highly palatable foods, especially those high in fat and sugar, may elicit a response in the brain that is similar to the response from opioids. </p>
<p>Yes, a delicious slice of rich chocolate cake can be just as good as drugs.</p>
<p>We tend to call many of these foods “comfort foods,” but the definition of comfort food is a bit slippery. Food is deeply personal. The foods that comfort people depend on their cultural background, taste preference, and personal experience. We know, however, that food can induce <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2019.02.018">feelings of nostalgia</a> that transport us back to simpler times. </p>
<p>So perhaps it’s no surprise that, during a period of uncertainty that has many of us desperate for some relief and comfort, the foods of our childhood can act as a salve. For some of us, that bowl of Lucky Charms isn’t just a sweet treat; it’s a reminder of days gone by, a time of safety and stability. </p>
<p>There’s nothing inherently wrong in finding temporary relief from chaos and uncertainty through food. But it’s probably best to view these changes in eating behavior as a temporary habit during a weird time. After all, a diet rich in macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets doesn’t exactly set our bodies up for long-term success. </p>
<p>As people’s lives start to regain some sense of normalcy, diet can actually be a major part of the equation. Returning to a more health-conscious diet could be part of reestablishing your previous routines. And if you’ve never been able to find the time to prioritize healthy eating, now could actually be a good opportunity to start laying the groundwork for habits that become the new normal.</p>
<p>[<em>You need to understand the coronavirus pandemic, and we can help.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=upper-coronavirus-help">Read The Conversation’s newsletter</a>.]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/137864/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Carli Liguori does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>During these stressful times, if you find yourself reaching into the pantry of your past, you’re probably not alone.Carli Liguori, Instructor of Nutrition and Behavior Change, University of PittsburghLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1368812020-04-27T13:49:09Z2020-04-27T13:49:09ZHome cooking means healthier eating – there’s an opportunity to change food habits for good<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/330697/original/file-20200427-145518-vnmpg5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=29%2C17%2C3964%2C2976&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/fresh-vegetables-eco-cotton-bags-on-1173559525">Bogdan Sonjachnyj/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Over the last month there has been a dramatic transformation in our access to and the <a href="https://theconversation.com/supply-chains-expert-dont-panic-if-you-see-empty-shelves-more-stock-is-on-its-way-134615">availability of food</a> – along with where we eat and with who. At the same time, <a href="https://theconversation.com/lockdown-how-to-stay-fit-at-home-133955">personal</a>, family and societal health has never been more on the nation’s agenda. </p>
<p>The closure of cafes, restaurants, fast food outlets, schools and workplace canteens has contributed to <a href="https://www.kantar.com/Inspiration/Coronavirus/WEBINAR-How-brands-can-survive-the-COVID-19-crisis">more people eating at home</a>. It seems that lockdown has encouraged many people to rediscover the joys of home cooking – with more people <a href="https://roadtorenewal.co.uk/research/">cooking more from scratch</a> and throwing away less food. There has also been a <a href="https://www.kantar.com/Inspiration/Coronavirus/WEBINAR-How-brands-can-survive-the-COVID-19-crisis">93% growth in flour sales</a> as many people have gone back to basics and started baking. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31482606">Research</a> shows that more frequent cooking in general and cooking from scratch is associated with a healthier diet. So could it be that lockdown may mark the start of a healthier relationship with food for many people?</p>
<h2>Changing shopping habits</h2>
<p>Before the pandemic, <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/772434/NDNS_UK_Y1-9_report.pdf">UK dietary data from 2019</a> showed that average fruit, vegetable and fibre intakes were below recommended levels, while average <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-does-sugar-in-our-diet-affect-our-health/">sugar</a> intakes were above recommendations. </p>
<p>Recent <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52229828">shopping data</a> shows that people in recent weeks have been buying more frozen food and long-lasting foods such as cans and food with a long shelf life. But although many people associate healthy eating with fresh produce, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52229828">recent purchasing patterns</a> shouldn’t prevent dietary recommendations from being met – frozen and canned choices still count towards these recommendations, are cheaper than fresh alternatives and last longer. </p>
<p>Tinned fruit on breakfast cereal or porridge, for example; or a tin of chickpeas in a curry; dried fruit in natural yoghurt or canned lentils in a soup – all of these will count towards your the five recommended portions of fruit or veg a day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned varieties count, with fruit juice also contributing to a maximum of one portion. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/330698/original/file-20200427-145544-18iw3mx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/330698/original/file-20200427-145544-18iw3mx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330698/original/file-20200427-145544-18iw3mx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330698/original/file-20200427-145544-18iw3mx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330698/original/file-20200427-145544-18iw3mx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330698/original/file-20200427-145544-18iw3mx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330698/original/file-20200427-145544-18iw3mx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">More people are cooking from scratch, using veg boxes and throwing less food away.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/girl-mixed-race-parents-unpack-shopping-411211753">Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
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<p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-there-are-no-miracle-foods-or-diets-that-can-prevent-or-cure-covid-19-136666">Coronavirus: there are no miracle foods or diets that can prevent or cure COVID-19</a>
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<p>The <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52229828">recent data on shopping habits</a> also shows a huge increase in alcohol purchases. It might be that some of that growth is down to people stockpiling alcohol. An estimated 50 million pints are going unused in pubs, so it is also likely that many people are replacing <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-the-coronavirus-is-putting-our-relationship-with-alcohol-to-the-test-135460">drinking out with drinking at home</a>.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/545937/UK_CMOs__report.pdf">chief medical officer’s guidelines</a> say it’s safest not to regularly drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week, which is equivalent to six pints of beer or six 175ml glasses of wine. </p>
<h2>What we should eat</h2>
<p>The best way to ensure a wide variety of nutrients, including vitamins and minerals, is to eat a varied, balanced diet. This, alongside other lifestyle choices like avoiding smoking and taking part in daily physical activity, can help lower the risk of a number of chronic health conditions including obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It also helps to support the healthy functioning of our entire bodies from our bones to our brain. </p>
<p>Very simply, a healthy balanced diet is one that is <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/">full of variety</a> and served in the <a href="https://www.nutrition.org.uk/attachments/article/1193/Find%20your%20balance_%20booklet.pdf">right proportions</a>. A practical tool to help with this is the <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/the-eatwell-guide/">Eat Well Guide</a>. Explained <a href="https://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/healthydiet/eatwellvideo.html">here</a>, the Eat Well Guide illustrates the proportion of foods from each food group we should aim to eat overall to achieve a healthy, balanced diet. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/330700/original/file-20200427-145560-ds7k2x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/330700/original/file-20200427-145560-ds7k2x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330700/original/file-20200427-145560-ds7k2x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330700/original/file-20200427-145560-ds7k2x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330700/original/file-20200427-145560-ds7k2x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330700/original/file-20200427-145560-ds7k2x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330700/original/file-20200427-145560-ds7k2x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The pandemic has changed how many people cook and eat.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/healthy-positive-happy-woman-holding-paper-481762948">Micolas/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>If you are wanting to make healthy changes during this time, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31482606">evidence from behavioural sciences</a> might also be able to help. Research shows that reducing the range or proportion of less healthy options and positioning them in less accessible positions may contribute to meaningful changes in food behaviours. So at home, this means placing fruit and vegetables in sight and within easy reach and maybe hiding the crisps and chocolate in the garage or in a harder to reach cupboard so they aren’t easily accessible.</p>
<h2>More than a meal</h2>
<p>The NHS has updated its <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-d/">guidance</a> to suggest that people might want to consider taking 10 micrograms of <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-supplements-do-scientists-use-and-why-87954">vitamin D</a> a day as levels from sunlight may not be enough if most of the day is spent indoors. </p>
<p>But other than this, a varied balanced diet will provide the wide range of nutrients you need – both at this time and more broadly just as part of a healthy diet. If there is concern about achieving this, a multivitamin and mineral supplement <a href="https://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/helpingyoueatwell/covid19immunity.html">may be worth considering</a>.</p>
<p>It’s also important, though, not to forget that <a href="https://theconversation.com/eating-well-its-more-than-just-what-you-eat-52916">food isn’t just about nutrients</a> for humans. Food brings joy through its tastes and flavours. Food connects us to those around us, to nature and our own unique cultures and experiences. </p>
<p>Even in isolation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-inspiring-community-attempts-to-stem-increased-hunger-need-government-help-135741">food is driving new connections across communities</a>, with people in lockdown planting seeds on windowsills, local producers delivering directly to new customers, and people coming together to plan joint neighbourhood and extended family shopping missions. Those people essential to our entire food supply chain are also finally getting the societal recognition they deserve.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/136881/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Danielle McCarthy receives funding from European Institute of Innovation and Technology and the Agri Food Quest Centre. She is Co Founder of Nutrition Talent, a recruitment and resourcing company and is a member of the Nutritionists in Industry group. </span></em></p>A spike in flour sales and an increase in home cooked meals could signal the start of a new healthier relationship with food.Danielle McCarthy, Senior Lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University BelfastLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1355352020-04-07T12:10:27Z2020-04-07T12:10:27ZBeyond sanitizing and social distancing – a healthy circadian rhythm may keep you sane and increase resilience to fight COVID-19<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/325363/original/file-20200403-74216-1k73hex.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=6%2C20%2C4486%2C2970&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Try to get outside during daylight to set your circadian rhythms.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">LordRunar /Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Social distancing and washing hands have become the frontline in the fight against COVID-19, but there is another powerfully protective resource immediately available to all: your circadian rhythm. </p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/325357/original/file-20200403-74220-w18vl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/325357/original/file-20200403-74220-w18vl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/325357/original/file-20200403-74220-w18vl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325357/original/file-20200403-74220-w18vl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325357/original/file-20200403-74220-w18vl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325357/original/file-20200403-74220-w18vl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325357/original/file-20200403-74220-w18vl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325357/original/file-20200403-74220-w18vl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Every cell in your body has a sense of time.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">wildpixel / Getty Images</span></span>
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</figure>
<p>While isolation and hygiene are effective in reducing the chance of infection, they do little to increase our resilience to the virus so that we suffer less and recover faster. In addition, the stress and worry caused by current trends – school and business closures, self-quarantines and mandates to stay at home – don’t help. The strains on our physical and psychological health can leave us even more vulnerable to viruses and other health issues. The answer to boosting your immunity may lie in simple steps you can take to maintain a robust circadian rhythm by developing and following a daily routine.</p>
<p><a href="https://panda.salk.edu">I head a lab that researches circadian rhythms</a>, the daily cycles of bodily functions that form the foundation of good health. These body clocks, found in nearly every organ of the body and part of the brain, are central and vital to a properly functioning immune system. A synchronized circadian rhythm in the lungs, heart, kidney and brain ensures that the processes in our body go as planned while the immune system can effectively fight and defeat a virus. When the timing systems in the human body are desynchronized, essential organs are compromised, reducing the potency of your immune system. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2017.07.007">Circadian disruption dampens your immune system</a> and makes a virus harder to defeat.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/325358/original/file-20200403-74198-1xr6uvb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/325358/original/file-20200403-74198-1xr6uvb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325358/original/file-20200403-74198-1xr6uvb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325358/original/file-20200403-74198-1xr6uvb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325358/original/file-20200403-74198-1xr6uvb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325358/original/file-20200403-74198-1xr6uvb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325358/original/file-20200403-74198-1xr6uvb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Sleep is the most critical factor for maintaining circadian rhythms.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Tetra Images / GettyImages</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>How do we maintain a robust circadian rhythm?</h2>
<p>The answer is as simple as developing a daily routine and sticking to it consistently. </p>
<p>Circadian rhythm in the brain is synchronized to the outside world by light and darkness. Circadian rhythms in the rest of the body are synchronized by when we eat. <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/592260/the-circadian-code-by-satchin-panda-phd/">We can maintain a healthy circadian rhythm</a> by the following simple practices: sleep, eating time, daylight exposure, exercise and stress management.</p>
<p>Sleep is the most profound predictor of a healthy circadian rhythm. When we disturb our sleep, it has effects beyond our brain. Studies have shown that chronically <a href="http://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00010.2018">sleep-deprived animals and humans have weaker immune systems</a>, making it easier for even mild infections and viruses to gain entry to the body and cause more damage or even death. Therefore, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule is a powerful strategy to maintain better immunity. </p>
<p><a href="http://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2015.10.004">Sleep researchers suggest</a> babies and toddlers may sleep as much as 12 hours each day; children and teenagers should spend nine hours in bed; and adults should try to be in bed for eight hours. Dimming light for two to three hours before bedtime and taking a bath before bed will help you to get a good night’s sleep. A bedtime bath also cleanses our body and may wash off any virus that might have stuck to our skin.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/325361/original/file-20200403-74279-136afcp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/325361/original/file-20200403-74279-136afcp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325361/original/file-20200403-74279-136afcp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325361/original/file-20200403-74279-136afcp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325361/original/file-20200403-74279-136afcp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325361/original/file-20200403-74279-136afcp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325361/original/file-20200403-74279-136afcp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Try to avoid those midnight snacks.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Carlina Teteris / Getty Images</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>When we eat can nurture or torture our rhythms</h2>
<p>When we are not asleep, we tend to snack or eat. Studies show that nearly 50% of adults are likely to <a href="http://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2015.09.005">eat over a 15-hour window</a> or longer. Shift workers who work early morning, evening or overnight sleep and try to catch up with regular life during off-days. </p>
<p>This<a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12040999"> erratic scheduling may lead to an even worse eating</a> schedule because of the nature of their work. However, you don’t have to be a shift worker to live like one. </p>
<p>Such large eating windows disrupt the body’s circadian rhythm and weaken organs, including the gut, liver, muscle, heart, kidney and lungs, making it <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2017.07.007">harder to fight an infection</a>. Conversely, animal and human studies are increasingly showing that <a href="http://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-nutr-082018-124320">eating food and beverages within an 8- to 12-hour window</a> reduces disease and infection risk and improves brain and body health. This style of eating is referred to as time-restricted eating or intermittent fasting.</p>
<h2>Light up your mood and dim down before sleep</h2>
<p>Finally, light and darkness play a crucial role in the brain’s circadian rhythm and brain health. Being outdoors and in daylight for at least 30 minutes each day is a great way to synchronize your brain clock with the outside world. It also reduces depression and anxiety and increases alertness. </p>
<p>In the current climate of hunkering down, staying home and rarely venturing out, not having access to daylight may <a href="http://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.07.056">increase the risk of depression and other mood disorders</a>. Also of note: The UV portion of sunlight is a disinfectant. Just 30 minutes of UV light on clothing may kill bacteria and viruses that may be attached to the exterior of our clothes. </p>
<p>When it becomes dark outside, reducing exposure to bright indoor light for two to three hours before bed will help you sleep.</p>
<h2>An ideal routine</h2>
<p>We can incorporate these insights into our daily routine to maintain sleep, eating time, light schedule, exercise and strategies to stay positive to profoundly help millions of people who are now stuck at home or have minimal incentive to go out. My lab has developed a research app, <a href="https://mycircadianclock.org/">myCircadianClock</a>, to guide people how to monitor and optimize their own circadian rhythms. </p>
<p>A simple plan for adults would include the following:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Sleep: Aim to spend eight hours in bed each night to allow at least seven hours of sleep. This allows the brain to rest, detoxify and rejuvenate. Teenagers and children older than the age of 10 should <a href="http://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2015.10.004">try to be in bed for nine to 12 hours</a> each night.</p></li>
<li><p>Diet: Eat within an 8- to 10-hour window of time each day. Note the time you ingest your first calories of the day (beverage or food) and plan on taking your last calories of that day 10 hours later. Make sure that the last calories are consumed two to three hours before bedtime. Such time-restricted eating can be enhanced by being combined with home-cooked healthy food to sustain healthy gut, liver, heart, lung, kidney and immune function. <a href="http://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2019.11.004">Time-restricted eating</a> may also help shed some extra weight and manage blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol. </p></li>
<li><p>Light: Spend at least 30 minutes outdoors during daylight hours to reduce depression, increase alertness and improve mood.</p></li>
</ul>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/325366/original/file-20200403-74206-1up4sng.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/325366/original/file-20200403-74206-1up4sng.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325366/original/file-20200403-74206-1up4sng.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325366/original/file-20200403-74206-1up4sng.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325366/original/file-20200403-74206-1up4sng.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325366/original/file-20200403-74206-1up4sng.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325366/original/file-20200403-74206-1up4sng.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Keep in touch with friends and family to prevent isolation and depression.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">fstop123 / Getty Images</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<ul>
<li><p>Stress management: Social distancing can be social isolation, which can lead to increased stress, depression and difficulty in falling asleep. Spend more time with the people you live with and get in touch with your faraway family and friends over video chat. Keep your mind busy with positive thoughts, read some books you wanted to read for a long time, make new music playlists, play some board games or do puzzles. Avoid too much TV and depressing news.</p></li>
<li><p>Exercise: Don’t forget to get some exercise. For those of you who feel you are physically less active, try to get in some steps. Walk around the neighborhood, do some simple strength exercise at home. Turn on some music and dance. If you can, get outside for a walk or hike. <a href="http://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-019-0229-z">Try to do your intense exercise in the afternoon</a> when the muscle clock can give you the most benefit of exercise.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>The exact time when each family goes to bed, eats, exercises, explores the outdoors or socializes depends on where they live and what other constraints they may have. But it takes only a week to develop and follow such a plan. By the second week, you may begin to see the benefits of healthy circadian rhythms.</p>
<p>[<em><a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=upper-coronavirus-daily">The Conversation’s newsletter explains what’s going on with the coronavirus pandemic. Subscribe now</a>.</em>]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/135535/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Satchin Panda receives funding from National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Cancer Institute, National Eye Institute, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Defense, and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. He is the author of the book The Circadian Code. </span></em></p>To boost your immune defenses against corona and other viruses, one of the most effective things you can do is maintain your natural circadian rhythms. Here’s how to do that.Satchin Panda, Professor of Regulatory Biology at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, Adjunct Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology at UCSD, University of California, San DiegoLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1317712020-02-24T20:02:23Z2020-02-24T20:02:23ZHow the Mediterranean diet became No. 1 — and why that’s a problem<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/316502/original/file-20200220-92507-dz1up2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=87%2C67%2C4237%2C2863&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Considered one of the healthiest ways to eat, the Mediterranean diet has evolved over hundreds of years, but ignoring other diets is a form of cultural superiority. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The Mediterranean diet was voted by a panel of 25 health and nutrition professionals as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/02/health/best-diet-worst-diet-2020-wellness/index.html">the best diet for 2020</a>. Characterized by plant-based meals, the diet emphasizes eating less red meat and dairy, and more fish and unsaturated fatty acids like olive oil. Red wine can be enjoyed in moderation.</p>
<p>Even if you are familiar with the Mediterranean diet, you may not know that it “involves a set of skills, knowledge, rituals, symbols and traditions concerning crops, harvesting, fishing, animal husbandry, conservation, processing, cooking and particularly the sharing and consumption of food,” as described by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). In 2013, UNESCO added the diet to its <a href="https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/mediterranean-diet-00884">list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity</a>. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/B8zAy8HHD4_","accessToken":"127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20"}"></div></p>
<h2>The Mediterranean region and its <strong>food traditions</strong></h2>
<p>The Mediterranean area covers portions of Europe, Asia and Africa around the Mediterranean Sea. While many nations share that bio-geography and elements of the diet, only the nations of Cyprus, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Morocco, Portugal and Spain sponsored the diet’s addition to UNESCO’s list.</p>
<p>Mediterranean food traditions have deep history, but different ingredients arrived at different times. Olives were first <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0218001">pressed for olive oil</a> sometime before 2,500 years ago. Grapes were likely first enjoyed as wild harvests, but by 6,000 years ago <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/aug/30/traces-of-6000-year-old-wine-discovered-in-sicilian-cave">full wine production was underway</a>. <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1073%2Fpnas.1009363108">Domesticated grains and legumes</a> like wheat and lentils appeared between 9,000 and 10,000 years ago. Fish would have been one of the earliest resources, <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/magazine/2018/01-02/what-is-garum-rome-fish-sauce/">traded even into non-coastal areas</a>. </p>
<p>In spite of the diet’s guidelines, various red meats and dairy products also enjoy a long history in the region. <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1073%2Fpnas.0801317105">Domesticated herd animals</a> such as sheep, goats, cattle and camels arrived on the scene at least 10,000 years ago, and <a href="https://www.heritagedaily.com/2016/11/early-evidence-of-dairying-discovered/113234">dairying goes back at least 9,000 years</a> in Europe. The prominence of red meat and dairy foods in daily meals may have varied regionally, but both are deeply rooted in Mediterranean history. </p>
<p>But these are just the ingredients. Defining a single Mediterranean diet is tricky business. The Mediterranean region encompasses hundreds of languages and cultures, culinary techniques and styles. The ancient past was equally diverse, with millennia of migration and trade across the region bringing new ingredients and culinary innovations. Ask someone in Lebanon if their food is the same as Spain’s, or someone in Morocco if their food traditions are identical to those in Greece. </p>
<p>And no one in the Mediterranean would agree that their diet is identical to that of their ancestors. The multinational group that nominated Mediterranean food traditions to UNESCO might agree on the broadest framework, but culturally each region in the Mediterranean is distinct. </p>
<h2>What’s wrong with the Mediterranean diet?</h2>
<p>We are anthropologists who study biological and cultural aspects of nutrition and past foodways as part of human gastro-heritage. And we are simultaneously excited and concerned about the Mediterranean diet in public health messaging. </p>
<p>Health professionals should focus on food traditions rather than just nutrients, but it worries us when one cultural food tradition is held up as superior to others — especially one that has been associated with a history of Western political and cultural imperialism. </p>
<p>Historian <a href="https://experts.mcmaster.ca/display/levenst">Harvey Levenstein</a> writes that <a href="https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/F/bo12778615.html">the Mediterranean diet was created</a> by physiologist Ancel Keys and his biochemist wife, Margaret Keys. In 1952, the Keys travelled to Italy and Spain and conducted some quasi-experimental surveys of blood pressure, blood cholesterol and diet.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kOifkb4JlfY?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">A brief history of Ancel Keys, the physiologist who, along with his wife, popularized the Mediterranean diet.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Many epidemiological studies later, the couple promoted the Mediterranean diet in <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/23/obituaries/dr-ancel-keys-100-promoter-of-mediterranean-diet-dies.html">their popular diet book <em>How to Eat Well</em></a>, later repackaged as <em>How to Eat Well and Stay Well the Mediterranean Way</em>. </p>
<p>In the 1990s, <a href="https://www.internationaloliveoil.org/olive-world/olive-oil-health/">the International Olive Oil Council</a> promoted olive oil as a key ingredient in the diet, and the Harvard School of Public Health built <a href="https://memory.ucsf.edu/sites/memory.ucsf.edu/files/MediterraneanDietHandout.pdf">the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid</a>.</p>
<h2>Promoting the value of all food heritage</h2>
<p>The promotion of the Mediterranean diet is an example of what anthropologist Andrea Wiley calls bio-ethnocentrism. Wiley’s <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Re-imagining-Milk-Cultural-and-Biological-Perspectives-2nd-Edition/Wiley/p/book/9781138927612">study of milk</a> argues that although milk has been promoted as a healthy and nutritious food for all, only a segment of the human species — predominantly those whose ancestry comes from Europe, where there is a long history of dairying — are able to digest the primary sugar in milk (lactose). </p>
<p>Bolstering one region’s diet as universally ideal ignores the long evolution of social, biological and environmental human food traditions through the development and conservation of regional and local cuisines. This includes, as found in <a href="https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/mediterranean-diet-00884">UNESCO’s description of the Mediterranean diet</a>, the production, preparation and consumption of food through human skills, knowledge, and social and cultural practices.</p>
<p>In a globalized world with increasing migration, retaining traditional cuisines may seem meaningless. But in fact, it may be more important than ever. Anthropological research shows that <a href="https://doi.org/10.17730/0018-7259.76.1.15">migrants work hard to maintain their traditional cuisines as part of their ethnic identity</a> and to support their health and well-being. When a health-care provider suggests to their patient that they adopt a Mediterranean diet, there are several things that can go wrong. Unless the diet is explained in detail, a patient may have a very different idea of what constitutes the Mediterranean diet. More harmfully, if a patient believes that their own cultural food traditions are bad for their health, they may give those up to adopt a diet seen as medically approved.</p>
<p>A survey of global food shows that the core principles of the Mediterranean diet can be found in the traditional cuisines and food traditions of many people. In Mexico, for example, the combination of corn tortillas and beans — accompanied by foods like squash and tomato salsas — has yielded complete plant-based proteins that provide <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/T0395E/T0395E0c.htm">a nutritious and sustainable diet</a>. Research on soy-derived and fermented foods found in traditional Chinese cuisines shows they are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2016.08.009">high in bioactive peptides that can provide protection against disease</a>. </p>
<p>In a world where we are rapidly losing diverse biological and cultural heritage, we should be celebrating the plurality and unique qualities of traditional foods rather than attempting to promote and universalize one regional diet over another. Diverse traditional diets can and should be promoted through public health messaging that is culturally sensitive and inclusive.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/131771/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tina Moffat received funding from SSHRC. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Shanti Morell-Hart receives funding from SSHRC and CFI-ORF. </span></em></p>Olive oil, grapes and fish. There’s a lot to love about the Mediterranean diet but focusing on it might be a way to exclude other healthy and global diets.Tina Moffat, Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology, McMaster UniversityShanti Morell-Hart, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, McMaster UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1254132019-10-23T09:47:08Z2019-10-23T09:47:08ZSnacking: the modern habit that could be putting your health and waistline at risk<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/297670/original/file-20191018-56224-4of1h1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=49%2C17%2C2946%2C1976&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/woman-eating-pretzel-while-traveling-by-1188229111?src=kQHlH7JsKisMspQump5RjQ-1-1">shutterstock/frantic00</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://theconversation.com/sugary-drinks-tax-is-working-now-its-time-to-target-cakes-biscuits-and-snacks-124325">Cakes, biscuits and energy bars</a> are, for many people, just staples of everyday life – <a href="https://theconversation.com/food-labelled-snack-leaves-you-hungrier-than-food-labelled-meal-86507">the snacks</a> that keep them going through the day.</p>
<p>But most people don’t realise just how easy it is to over-consume calories while snacking. Women are advised by the government to consume <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/behind-the-headlines-calorie-guidelines-remain-unchanged">2,000 calories a day and men 2,500</a>. And the NHS suggests aiming to have a balance of 400 calories for breakfast, 600 calories for lunch and 600 calories for the evening meal – leaving the <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/for-your-body/eat-better/keep-track-of-calories-400-600-600/">remainder for drinks and health snacks</a>. </p>
<p>But research from the <a href="http://38r8om2xjhhl25mw24492dir.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/16-07-12-Counting-Calories-Final.pdf">Behaviour Insight Team</a>, also known unofficially as the “Nudge Unit”, found that adults may be consuming an average of 3,000 calories a day without realising, partly due to snacking.</p>
<p>This is particularly significant given the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/phe-data-and-analysis-tools#obesity-diet-and-physical-activity">rise in obesity in children</a>. And the fact that <a href="https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/uk-now/read-uk/snack-culture">64% of young people snack</a> outside of meal times – with the majority of these snacks being <a href="https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/uk-now/read-uk/snack-culture">high in fat, sugar and salt</a>.</p>
<h2>Snack attack</h2>
<p>According to a <a href="https://academic.oup.com/advances/article/7/3/466/4558044">recent paper</a>, there are many reasons why people snack. It could be down to hunger and the need to eat, or more “distracted eating” – eating too much food while playing a game or watching the TV. Many people also eat through habit or association, such as at the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/advances/article/7/3/466/4558044">cinema or when meeting a friend for coffee and cake</a>. </p>
<p>The wide range of <a href="https://theconversation.com/hard-evidence-do-supermarket-checkouts-make-kids-obese-21344">snacks available to shoppers</a> is now evident in all outlets – in shops, transport hubs and vending machines. But rarely are these snacks of the healthy variety – think crisps, snack bars and chocolate. And these can often tip daily calories into excess without people realising – which can <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938414001449">lead to weight gain</a>.</p>
<p>But rather than <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/837907/cmo-special-report-childhood-obesity-october-2019.pdf">banning snacking on public transport</a> altogether – as has recently been suggested by former chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies – food labelling, education and “choice architecture” (this is the way food is displayed to enable healthier choices) should be implemented more widely to help <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4488793/">nudge people in the right direction</a>. </p>
<p>This is important, because generally, if people are hungry, they eat what is there. So by providing healthy options at an affordable price it should help people make <a href="https://shuspace.shu.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/pid-8312499-dt-content-rid-32666225_2/courses/44-606276-AF-20189/Applying%20behavioural%20insight%20to%20health%20Cabinet%20Office%20paper.pdf">better choices</a>. Indeed, when it comes to eating healthily, The British Nutrition Foundation also recommends people <a href="https://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/helpingyoueatwell/snacking.html">plan ahead and rethink their portion sizes</a> in a bid to cut out excessive eating.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/297671/original/file-20191018-56207-1vbg27w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/297671/original/file-20191018-56207-1vbg27w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297671/original/file-20191018-56207-1vbg27w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297671/original/file-20191018-56207-1vbg27w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297671/original/file-20191018-56207-1vbg27w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297671/original/file-20191018-56207-1vbg27w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297671/original/file-20191018-56207-1vbg27w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Planning ahead with meals can make unhealthy snack choices less likely.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/girl-hands-bag-fresh-vegetables-172462274?src=BVyZQk7H6I0F8WU21Qon6Q-1-44">Shutterstock/Evstigneev Alexander</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Feeling peckish</h2>
<p>Snacking today is just a normal part of eating for many. Indeed, the food industry has lured people into believing they cannot sustain themselves without the input of several hundred calories between meals – and a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/aug/30/from-quinoa-bars-to-salmon-skin-chips-whats-behind-the-snacking-revolution">whole “snack” industry has been established</a>. </p>
<p>Eating habits have also drastically changed over the years – with people now more likely to eat out while consuming less home-cooked food. Indeed, according to <a href="https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130103024837/http://www.defra.gov.uk/statistics/foodfarm/food/familyfood/nationalfoodsurvey/">The National Food Survey</a>, in the 1950s, most households didn’t eat out – compare this with survey results from 1983, by which time most people <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-uks-food-history-revealed-through-five-generations-of-data">ate three meals a week</a> outside their home. </p>
<p>Today, traditional family meals have been largely replaced by meals in front of the TV. Home cooking has also declined and been <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/what-does-eating-ready-meals-do-to-your-body-a6894826.html">replaced by ready meals</a>. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/aug/30/from-quinoa-bars-to-salmon-skin-chips-whats-behind-the-snacking-revolution">People now also eat</a> out more often, have regular takeaways and snack in between meals. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-snacking-could-be-damaging-your-health-100978">Why snacking could be damaging your health</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Combine this with a food industry that is selling for the benefit of the industry and not the health of the individual, and it’s not surprising that <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/287937/07-1184x-tackling-obesities-future-choices-report.pdf">unhealthy food culture</a> and snacking is now seen as normal.</p>
<p>But small swaps can make a big difference in overall calories. So next time you’re peckish, consider an alternative – a banana, a small handful of nuts or a pain low fat yogurt and fruit. All of which will fill you up and provide nutrients, rather than the added sugar and fat you don’t need in your diet.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/125413/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ruth Whiteside does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Would a ban on snacking on public transport really help combat obesity? An expert in nutrition weighs in.Ruth Whiteside, Senior Lecturer In Public Health Nutrition, Sheffield Hallam UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1226822019-09-06T11:15:09Z2019-09-06T11:15:09Z‘I’ll have what she’s having’ – how and why we copy the choices of others<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/291155/original/file-20190905-175691-5wvcll.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The choice of flavor may be up to you, but the number of scoops will depend on what your companion gets.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/various-ice-cream-on-pink-pastel-674512801">Zamurovic Photography/Shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Imagine you’re dining out at a casual restaurant with some friends. After looking over the menu, you decide to order the steak. But then, after a dinner companion orders a salad for their main course, you declare: “I’ll have the salad too.” </p>
<p>This kind of situation – making choices that you probably otherwise wouldn’t make <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucv012">were you alone</a> – probably happens more often than you think in a wide variety of settings, from eating out to shopping and even donating to charity. And it’s not just a matter of you suddenly realizing the salad sounds more appetizing. </p>
<p><a href="https://explorable.com/chameleon-effect">Prior research has shown</a> people have a tendency to mimic the choices and behaviors of others. But other work suggests people also want to do the exact opposite to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1086/317585">signal their uniqueness</a> in a group by making a different choice from others.</p>
<p>As scholars who examine consumer behavior, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0022243719853221">we wanted</a> to resolve this discrepancy: What makes people more likely to copy others’ behavior, and what leads them to do their own thing? </p>
<h2>A social signal</h2>
<p>We developed a theory that how and why people match or mimic others’ choices depends a lot on the attributes of the thing being selected. </p>
<p>Choices have what we call “ordinal” attributes that can be ranked objectively – such as size or price – as well as “nominal” attributes that are not as easily ranked – such as flavor or shape. We hypothesized that ordinal attributes have more social influence, alerting others to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2013.08.007">what may be seen as “appropriate”</a> in a given context. </p>
<p>Nominal attributes, on the other hand, would seem to be understood as a reflection of one’s personal preferences. </p>
<p>So we performed 11 studies to test our theory. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/290592/original/file-20190902-175678-sn1350.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/290592/original/file-20190902-175678-sn1350.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/290592/original/file-20190902-175678-sn1350.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/290592/original/file-20190902-175678-sn1350.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/290592/original/file-20190902-175678-sn1350.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=468&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/290592/original/file-20190902-175678-sn1350.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=468&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/290592/original/file-20190902-175678-sn1350.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=468&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Size may be social, but flavor remains a personal choice.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Breast-Milk-Ice-Cream/8d3828c71ff542c193c3a4a1c2920310/239/0">AP Photo/Toby Talbot</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>One scoop or two</h2>
<p>In one study conducted with 190 undergraduate students, we told participants that they were on their way to an ice cream parlor with a friend to get a cone. We then told our would-be ice cream consumers that their companion was getting either one scoop of vanilla, one scoop of chocolate, two scoops of vanilla or two scoops of chocolate. We then asked participants what they wanted to order. </p>
<p>We found that people were much more likely to order the same size as their companion but not the same flavor.</p>
<p>The participants seemed to interpret the number of scoops the companion ordered as an indication of what’s appropriate. For example, ordering two scoops might signal “permission” to indulge or seem the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1509/jm.11.0261">more financially savvy</a> – if less healthy – choice, since it usually costs only marginally more than one. Or a single scoop might suggest “let’s enjoy some ice cream – but not too much.”</p>
<p>The choice of chocolate or vanilla, on the other hand, is readily understood as a personal preference and thus signals nothing about which is better or more appropriate. I like vanilla, you like chocolate – everyone’s happy.</p>
<p>We also asked participants to rate how important avoiding social discomfort was in their decision. Those who ordered the same number of scoops as their companion rated it as more important than those who picked a different amount. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/290769/original/file-20190903-175668-122r5rq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/290769/original/file-20190903-175668-122r5rq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/290769/original/file-20190903-175668-122r5rq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/290769/original/file-20190903-175668-122r5rq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/290769/original/file-20190903-175668-122r5rq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/290769/original/file-20190903-175668-122r5rq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/290769/original/file-20190903-175668-122r5rq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Study participants gave the same amounts to charities as their peers, but they weren’t swayed on whether to give to elephants or polar bears.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/chiang-rai-thailand-january-8-2017-1252190155?src=-1-10">LunaseeStudios/Shutterstock.com</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Examining other contexts</h2>
<p>In the other studies, we replicated our results using different products, in various settings and with a variety of ordinal and nominal attributes.</p>
<p>For example, in another experiment, we gave participants US$1 to buy one of four granola bars from a mock store we set up inside the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz/CBA Business Research Center. As the ordinal attribute, we used <a href="https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.65.1.71.18132">brand prestige</a>: They could pick either a more expensive well-known national brand or a cheaper one sold by a grocery store under its own label. Our nominal attribute was chocolate or peanut butter. </p>
<p>Before making the choice, a “store employee” stationed behind the checkout register told participants she or he had tested out a granola bar, randomly specifying one of the four – without saying anything about how it tasted. We rotated which granola bar the employee mentioned every hour during the five-day experiment. </p>
<p>Similar to the ice cream study, participants tended to choose the brand that the employee said he or she had chosen – whether it was the cheaper or pricier one – but ignored the suggested flavor.</p>
<p>Moving away from food, we also examined influences on charitable donations. In this study, we recruited online participants who were paid for their time. In addition, we gave each participant 50 cents to either keep or donate to charity. </p>
<p>If they chose to donate the money, they could give all of it or half to a charity focused on saving either <a href="https://www.savetheelephants.org">elephants</a> or <a href="https://polarbearsinternational.org/">polar bears</a>. Before they made their choice, we told them what another participant had supposedly decided to do with their money – randomly based on one of the four possibilities.</p>
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<p>The results were the same as in all our other studies, including ones we conducted involving different brands and shapes of pasta and varieties and taste profiles of wine. People matched the ordinal attribute – in this case the amount – but paid little heed to the nominal attribute – the chosen charity – which remained a personal preference. </p>
<p>These kinds of social cues regarding others’ choices are everywhere, from face-to-face interactions with friends to online tweets or Instagram posts, making it difficult to escape the influence of what others do on our own consumption choices.</p>
<p>And if we believe we’re making our companions feel more comfortable while still choosing something we like, what’s the harm in that?</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/122682/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Brent McFerran receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kelly L. Haws and Peggy Liu do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>New research on consumer behavior shows that we tend to match some types of choices the people around us make, but not others.Kelly L. Haws, Professor of Marketing, Vanderbilt UniversityBrent McFerran, W. J. Van Duse Associate Professor, Marketing, Simon Fraser UniversityPeggy Liu, Assistant Professor of Business Administration and Ben L. Fryrear Faculty Fellow, University of PittsburghLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.