Public Engagement & Impact
As we head into the winter holiday season, it’s important to make sure we’re practicing healthy eating habits and maintaining a positive body image.
That is often easier said than done, but a panel of U-M faculty experts on nutrition, body image, and the brain science behind it all helped talk it through during the November #UMichChat on Facebook Live.
Joining the conversation were Kendrin Sonneville, professor of nutritional sciences at the School of Public Health; Dr. Tammy Chang, assistant professor of family medicine at Michigan Medicine; and Roger Cone, director of the Life Sciences Institute.
Sonneville
The first thing they all agreed on: enjoy the holidays, including the food.
In fact, the hyper focus on diet and weight can actually lead to worse health outcomes, Sonneville said.
“Along with the changes in the food environment this time of year, there’s really an increase in negative body talk and body image,” she said. “I really think that does us a lot of damage. Such high levels of restraint and restriction really takes the joy out of it.”
Chang said it’s a good idea to plan ahead and think about how you want to celebrate. If you know you’d like to try more than one dessert, for example, then you can plan to take smaller portions. Think about your overall wellness, not just food.
Chang
“People want to feel good about themselves and people are coming together at this time,” she said. “So, what does it take to feel good during this time? A lot of times it means sticking to your daily walk. Or, what does it take for me to feel good and sleep well and take advantage of this short time time together? If that’s your goal, how can we plan and make sure you’re feeling good?”
Cone noted that the brain regulates fat homeostatically, like it does body temperature. Fat is essential for survival but the homeostatic process only works in one direction — maintaining fat levels. If one gains weight, the brain controls to the higher level.
“Losing five to 10 pounds is something most people can accomplish, but losing more is tough because of this homeostatic function of the brain,” he said.
But he also has good news: even modest changes in weight and activity have significant positive health effects.
Cone
“There’s a huge amount of data that show that even with modest weight loss like 5–7 percent, and increasing activity modestly—vigorous walking included—has a significant impact on health.”
Unfortunately, there are a lot of industries that profit from people having an unhealthy body image. The panel agreed that it’s important for healthcare providers to give their patients good information based on the latest research to counter some of these messages.
Sonneville says the branded diets sold this time of year are not the way to build a healthy lifestyle. They tend to make eating “rules based” and not centered on health.
“Diet is individualized,” she said. “It needs to be based on people’s culture, access to food, and preferences. I think a short answer is that a branded diet is not a good answer to what is a healthy diet. There are food groups associated with health, like vegetables and fruits, and there needs to be space for food that are there for joy and pleasure.”
More about the panelists:
