Why the ‘healthy eating’ obsession could be really bad for your health

barasa velma

October 18, 2017 12:36 PM

The healthy eating obsession is affecting a lot of people in different ways and this has one of the less positive effects of it.

There is nothing wrong with healthy eating, when done right, but it may seem that the popular trend could be doing more harm than good.

According to a study on youth mental health conducted by the University College Dublin (UCD) and Headstrong “negative body image is linked to higher levels of depression, poor self-esteem, alcohol and substance abuse and eating disorders” with, unsurprisingly, social media playing a key role on body image and self-esteem perception.

There is a constant pressure posed on vulnerable social media users whenever someone posts photos and videos of their bowl of salad for lunch that can easily manifest itself from a simple scroll down their social media feeds into a troubling obsession with dieting and body image.

"You don't have to go looking for that information - it's popping up on your Facebook feed or in your Snapchat feed all the time," occupational therapist Jane O’Riordan told Ireland’s Independent magazine.

"It might be what your friends are liking. Even if you aren't looking for diet and fitness advice, it's all there."occupational therapist Jane O’Riordan told Ireland’s Independent magazine.

O’Riodarn went on to explain that the constant comparison of meals and fitness regimes photos among peers online makes it difficult for “those trying to normalize their eating and break free from complex rules about food”.

"We are obsessed with taking photos of our dinners."

"Clean eating is not a problem in itself. But if you are ruling out a lot of day-to-day foods, it keeps you stuck in an eating disorder really," she said.