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New Year, New You, No Thank you
D Campbell • January 10, 2023
Positive messages around food
At this time of the year there is always a huge surge in interest around dietary changes. Every newspaper and social media post seems full of them.
However, if you are tempted to embark on the latest too good to be true product or plan, just take a moment and consider the evidence and source of information (i.e who is it coming from and what have they got to gain).
Often these diet "fads" can wreak havoc with our relationship with food, leading to use feeling a failure if we cannot achieve the outcome we feel pressured to conform to. Much more important I believe is keeping a healthy relationship with food.
Trying to make small realistic changes such as eating more fruit and vegetables, taking more fibre, drinking more water etc. will be much more achievable ion the long run.
Any suggestions to cut out food groups or severely restrict intake can do more harm than good.
As a dietitian, of course I am always interested in what is going on around food and as a scientist, I am naturally sceptical, always asking for evidence and seeking the source.
Many adverts will often just cite anecdotal claims which can of course be very convincing. Just take a moment to think though, it "worked" for this one person, does that necessarily mean it will work for you? When it comes to evidence, anecdotal evidence is pretty low down the list. We need many studies, randomised controlled trials and meta-analysis (analysing many robust trials) to make sustantiated claims.
There are some red flags that you need to look out for:
- They offer a magic bullet to lose weight without making any changes - Really?
- They promise rapid weight loss - will tend to be fluid or could be a severe restriction
- They talk Detox - you (hopefully) have healthy kidneys and liver which do this very well
- They sell you expensive supplements - you will simply lose £££
- They severely limit the foods you can eat - you will not get all the nutrients you need to stay healthy
Dietitians train for many years and are closely regulated, only using sound evidence, so if you see these red flags on the latest diet, say New Year, New You....NO Thank you
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In general, we consume around a third of our daily calories at work. We all know that what we eat and drink has an effect on our health both long term and short term. It also has a significant effect on our performance at work. If you are feeling sluggish and can't concentrate at work, take at look at what you are eating and drinking. As well as getting some fresh air and exercise, what we eat and drink during the working day is really important. A healthy intake at work can boost activity, improve concentration and can improve how we deal with stress in the workplace. Remember to keep fluids up too as dehydration can lead to dizziness, poor concentration, headaches and fatigue. Many companies are recognising the importance of good nutrition (and activity) for their employees in the knowledge that it is a win-win! As an employee, you feel supported and valued and as an employer, staff sickness can be reduced and productivity improved. • Make time for breakfast before you start working • Plan to have some fruit with your tea break instead of a few biscuits • Make vegetable-packed soups for your lunch • Include veggie sticks and cherry tomatoes at lunch time • Choose wholegrain breads, pitta or crackers for a packed lunch • Encourage your staff canteen to offer healthier choices and apply for the Healthy Living Award • Make a plan to keep a water bottle on your desk at all times Food and Nutrition Central can provide Healthy Eating webinar sessions via your preferred platform.
Especially at new year, there is a plethora of new diet plans, cook books and fitness DVDs. The majority of these are written by (at least in part) well known personalities, some have the help of a nutrition "expert". Some are written in conjunction with registered dietitians or registered nutritionists and others merely give the writers own opinions on nutrition. Whilst the title dietitian is a protected title (you must be registered and hold a recognised degree, sadly the term "nutritionist" is not, so anyone can use the term even if they do not have a recognised nutrition qualification. The recipes may be great however, sometimes the nutrition information is not based on any scientific evidence. Spend your £££ wisely, there really is no quick fix and positive lifestyle changes are better than a short time weight loss gimmick. Many of the books are cook books with beautiful recipes. They can be great to kick start you to thinking about some new ways to eat more healthily, often the recipes are a great way to get in more veg so go a long way to getting your 5 a day. Here are my suggestions when looking at new diet books : • Opt for tips based around a more healthy lifestyle that you can maintain rather than any fads or short lived eating trends. • Look for simple recipes, you don't want to be shelling out £££ on expensive "trendy" foods that you only use once. • Steer clear of any suggestions to cut out certain food groups (there is no need and this can lead you to becoming deficient in some nutrients). • Check the credentials of whoever has written or been involved in the book. As a dietitian, I frequently spot inaccurate unsupported claims in books and magazines on the subject of nutrition. Think about your portion size. Plates have got get bigger and so have our portions. If you are trying to lose some weight, b e realistic, and aim to lose weight slowly. • Incorporate exercise that you enjoy • Enjoy your food. Be mindful of what you are eating and don't beat yourself up for the occasional treat. • It can be really helpful to keep tabs on what you eat as well as activity. Studies show people who have lost weight, and kept it off kept food and activity diaries. • Include wholegrain carbohydrates which help you feel full and provide important fibre. • Include fruit and vegetables at each meal and make sure you get your 5 a day • Make sure that your eating plan is well balanced. See my blog on The 5 food groups and Eatwell Guide • Limit alcohol - it contains more calories per gram than sugar and can weaken resolve to avoid less healthy snacking. • Remember, if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is!! For FREE advice on a healthy diet, a great source of information written by dietitians is is the British Dietetic Association Food Fact Sheets •
The Work Ready programme has been developed based on evidence-based research so that employers commissioning this programme can be confident that it will achieve the stated outcomes and return on investment. The comprehensive programme comprises of key elements: Identifying the nutritional concerns and needs of the company and employees Working with the company and putting in place suitable measurable interventions Evaluating the outcome to ensure that identified goals have been met. Dietitians work as partners with the company to achieve positive wellness outcomes. For more information see BDA Work Ready
The food choices that we make can have an effect on mood, energy levels, concentration and even how we deal with stress. Therefore it is really important to consider food choices within the workplace. If employees have a low mood, poor concentration, low energy levels and are not coping so well with the stress of work then this has the potential to ultimately influence the productivity of a workforce. Up to 10% of sick leave can be put down to lifestyle behaviours and obesity. Employees that are obese take an average of 4 extra sick days a year. Longer term the food choices we make affects our health, in particular weight. Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most important diet and lifestyle related factors that we can change. There is a wealth of evidence that shows being a healthy weight can help to preventing a range of diseases such as diabetes and heart disease related to high blood pressure and high cholesterol. 25 % of the working age population suffering from a long term condition which can be weight-related. Workplace health interventions are an excellent avenue to help address this. After all we spend a significant part of our week at work and consume a large part of our total food intake in an average working day. Any work place health initiative requires some investment so it is really important to spend wisely and companies are always looking for a good return on investment. The British Dietetic Association published a White Paper in 2015, reviewing the evidence on wellness initiatives and offering best practice recommendations. The paper identifies how good nutrition and hydration alongside being active keeps the UK workforce healthy and how initiatives can be integrated into positive programmes for health promotion. Dietitians are the only qualified health professionals that assess, diagnose and treat dietary and nutritional programmes at an individual and wider public health level. Dietitians are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council and must have a recognised degree(BSc Dietetics or similar), in addition they have the skills to effect positive behaviour change and only recommend evidence based nutritional advice. The BDA Work Ready Programme The Work Ready programme has been developed based on evidence-based research so that employers commissioning this programme can be confident that it will achieve the stated outcomes and return on investment. The comprehensive programme comprises of key elements: Identifying the nutritional concerns and needs of the company and employees Working with the company and putting in place suitable measurable interventions Evaluating the outcome to ensure that identified goals have been met. Dietitians work as partners with the company to achieve positive wellness outcomes.{{}}