Category Archives: Diet And Food

The Mediterranean Diet has, for the third year in a row, been named the healthiest overall diet by the annual ranking from U.S. News & World Report.

And if you dig into the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, it makes sense. It's good for your brain, heart, and gut, and according to Alyssa Dweck, M.D., it's a great diet for healthy aging.

Dweck is an OB-GYN, so she's worked closely with plenty of women through the stages of perimenopause and menopause. She recently joined us on episode 141 of the mindbodygreen podcast (be sure to check out the full episode), where we asked her what she tells her patients dealing with all that comes along with aging.

Dweck was quick to emphasize the importance of lifestyle, not just your diet. "Typically, in gyno world, we recommend the Mediterranean diet," she says. "I'm an advocate of a lifestyle diet rather than a diet that you do for a couple of weeks and then go off of it. Lifestyle is key."

The Mediterranean diet is, indeed, not just a diet, as it also encourages an active lifestyle and healthy social relationships. People who live in Blue Zoneslike near the Mediterranean Sea, after all,enjoy happy hour with their friends often. But Dweck reminds those suffering from perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms like hot flashes or issues sleeping, should really moderate alcohol consumption.

She, of course, also recommends exercise: "With age and hormone changes that come along with a woman's life cycle, we can see changes in metabolism. And we also can see diminishment in the lean body mass, or muscle tissue, which can lead towards weight gain and less energy as age progresses."

Good news there: A Mediterranean Diet was found to boost athletic performance in a recent study, suggesting the lifestyle is good for many reasons.

Ultimately, "we see many people who age gracefully in the Mediterranean population," Dweck adds. "So, I think we really can take a lesson from that."

When it comes to managing our health as we get older, there are a so many ways we can approach diet and fitness. But time and time again, the principles of the Mediterranean Diet come up as tried-and-true ways to get the most out of our health. To get started with a Mediterranean lifestyle, check out our 7-day Mediterranean diet meal plan.

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Why This OB-GYN Recommends The Mediterranean Diet For Perimenopause - mindbodygreen.com

New research suggests that President Donald Trumps affinity for fast food can influence the publics dietary intentions, and potentially contribute to a greater disease burden on society.

The new study, published in the journal Appetite, builds upon research that has shown a link between media coverage of a public figures health and changes in public behavior.

I noticed there was a decent amount of news coverage and general media commentary about President Trumps love of fast food, and it was in stark contrast to most of the food-related media coverage of the Obama presidency, which focused more on Michelle Obamas garden and the pressure she put on President Obama to eat healthy, explained Jessica Gall Myrick (@jessmyrick), the author of the study and an associate professor of media studies at the Pennsylvania State University.

That observation sparked my curiosity about the possibility that the media coverage of Trumps fast-food-heavy diet could be related to the publics view of how acceptable it is to eat fast food as well as how likely they are to actually eat it themselves. And, because obesity is such a serious health problem in the United States and fast food consumption is associated with higher rates of obesity, it seemed like an important topic to investigate.

For her study, Myrick had 1,050 American adults complete an online survey in February of 2018, which assessed how much attention they paid to media coverage of President Trumps eating habits among several other things.

This was a nationally representative survey where the sample demographics reflected percentages from the U.S. Census for gender, age, education, race, household income, and geographic region, Myrick said.

The survey revealed that exposure to Trumps dietary preferences was associated with the intention to eat fast food.

In other words, the more people paid attention to Trumps eating habits, the more likely they were to agree with statements such as Given my lifestyle and/or taste preferences, it is likely that I will eat fast food regularly over the next four weeks and I am likely to eat fast food regularly over the next month.

This was true even after Myrick controlled for the effects of education, race, political party, income, gender, age, and perceived weight status.

In addition, the survey found that people who indicated they paid more attention to general media about President Trump were more likely to say those close to them regularly dined on fast food.

In general, the results of this survey show that people who pay more attention to media coverage of President Trumps diet are more likely to view fast food as a socially acceptable meal option and are more likely to intend to eat fast food in the near future, Myrick explained.

For both Republicans and Democrats, greater attention to media coverage of Trumps diet was related to more positive attitudes toward fast food. However, for Republicans, this relationship was nearly twice as strong, meaning that as attention to media coverage of Trumps diet increases, Republicans are quicker to report positive attitudes toward fast food than are Democrats.

But, for people who did not identify as either Republicans or Democrats (that is, people who identify as Independent or who identify with smaller parties), there was not a relationship between attention to media about Trumps diet and attitudes toward fast food, Myrick told PsyPost.

Even if the effects of media coverage of Trumps love of fast food are small at the individual level, when you aggregate those effects across the entire U.S. population, these data suggest there could be harm caused to public health by encouraging many Americans to eat fast food more so than they would if the president was not so positive about this unhealthy type of food, Myrick added.

However, the study does not provide definite information about cause-and-effect relationships between Trumps diet and Americans intentions to eat fast food.

This was a cross-sectional survey, or single snapshot of the interrelationships between attention to media coverage about Trumps diet and fast food-related attitudes and behavioral intentions. So, it only gives us a good idea of that one point in time, Myrick said.

Future work could follow people over time to see how, as their attention to different types of media accumulates and shifts, their dietary choices might likewise shift.

The study was titled: Connections between viewing media about President Trumps dietary habits and fast food consumption intentions: Political differences and implications for public health.

Original post:
Exposure to Trump's diet linked to intentions to eat fast food regularly - PsyPost

4 January 2020, 19:00 | Updated: 4 January 2020, 19:01

The Masked Singer UK star Davina has transformed her body through clean eating and exercise - here's everything you need to know about her fitness and workouts.

Davina McCall has become a fitness icon in recent years thanks to her washboard abs, sugar-free cookbooks and impressive physical challenges.

Not only has the mother-of-three completely transformed her physique by exercising hard and an eating clean diet, but she often inspires her 1.1 million Instagram followers by tackling tough races from ultra triathlons to marathons.

So how often does the former Big Brother host workout, and what do her meals consist of?

Here, we take a look at Davina's super-healthy regime and weight loss:

Davina is in the shape of her life.

The 52-year-old credits her six-pack to working out six times a week, for around an hour at a time.

According to an interview in Women's Health, Davina has three non-negotiables when it comes to getting sweaty in the gym "dancing, pelvic thrusts and enjoyment".

In late 2019, her personal trainer Sarah Grant revealed the energetic mother-of-three has a great attitude towards exercise and wants to "have fun" at all costs.

The fitness pro also dished the dirt on the type of exercise Davina loves pushing herself with.

When it comes to cardio, the telly favourite likes running, boxing, HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and spinning, regularly clocking up 60-minute sessions on the bike.

As for sculpting and toning, the ultra-triathlete books into barre and yoga classes for a refreshing stretch.

Her former trainer Greg Whyte also revealed she blitzes calories by deep-water running jogging with a buoyancy belt on in water that's too deep to stand up in.

Read more: Davina McCall hits back at body shamers after backlash over latest bikini snap

The former model, who recently hit back at body shamers that criticised her bikini snap on social media, also enjoys a serious physical challenge.

She has previously trained for a 500-mile triathlon, running marathons at weekends and going for 6-hour bike rides in preparation, and also famously tackled a "hairy" 1.5 mile (2.4km) swim in freezing cold Lake Windermere as part of a Sport Relief challenge.

Read more: What tattoos does Davina McCall have?

The fitness enthusiast, who has sold over half a million sugar-free books, documented her healthy eating habits in a string of delicious recipes.

She explained her weight dropped off when she ditched sugar and alcohol for wholegrain foods and water, and made sure to meal prep as often as possible.

Davina told The Sun: "When I'm working, training or running a busy home, I like to stay healthy and to know I'm feeding myself and everyone else just the right amount of what we all need."

Read more: Who is Davina McCall's ex-husband and does she have a boyfriend? Past relationships revealed

The workout warrior also previously advised fans on some easy food swaps to stay on track.

"I swapped white bread and pasta for wholegrain versions after learning how high-GI foods affect your energy, she told Women's Health.

She also said that "the less processed the food, the better", and that "planning and ordering all the food for the week is a must.

"I then write the meals for the week on a big chalkboard in our kitchen and cook everything from fresh."

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Davina McCall weight loss: her diet and exercise routine revealed - Heart

Karan Khanna, an artist by profession feels that staying fit amidst the growing challenges of urban life seems like a daunting task. But of late the invention of app-based fitness guides have literally changed the fitness game and has made it very-interesting to lose weight without spending a bomb. Much like Karan, Sonali a Corporate Professional finds it too convenient to keep a track of the calories consumed throughout the day. "Keeping a track of the food we eat is one of the most difficult parts of losing weight and my favourite fitness app helps me in keeping a track of what I eat and how much I should eat to maintain my ideal weight."Millennials have their own interesting ways of managing things and when it comes to losing weight, they do it with utmost smartness and perfection, and fitness-apps are a perfect example to cite! Of late, fitness apps have changed the entire weight-loss game by making it super simple and convenient to keep a track about their desired fitness goals and how to manage calorie intake based on the guidelines suggested, it might sound strange but these fitness apps have made it very simple to manage weight in a healthy way.

Good or bad ?Staying in shape is a universal desire, but theres another fact that can not be ruled out while chalking out a diet plan is that what works for one, might not work for the other person. However, most apps claim to analyse the BMI and eating patterns based on the information provided, but its accuracy might be a concern. In fact, it isnt a great idea to totally bank on the app rather keep a track on your health patterns and eating habits personally is something that will keep you fit for ages.. In fact, these days the technology driven fitness apps literally match up to the level of personalized dietitian suggested diet plans, which are chalked out by analysing height, weight, ailments and complete health profile. So, the decision of good or bad entirely depends on the results based on individual preference.

Is it sustainable?

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Are you hooked to app-based diets? How far are these sustainable - Times of India

There are four main vitamins and minerals found in food that help in promoting sleep: tryptophan, magnesium, calcium, and B6. Some of these substances help the body produce melatonin, the hormone that is responsible for regulating your circadian rhythm (sleep/wake patterns). Magnesium is a powerful mineral that is instrumental in sleep and is a natural relaxant that helps deactivate adrenaline. In fact, it is often referred to as the sleep mineral. Calcium is another mineral that helps the brain make melatonin. A lack of calcium can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night and have difficulty returning to sleep. Some foods are naturally packed with these essential vitamins and minerals. Heres a list:For tryptophan, have dairy products (milk, low-fat yogurt, cheese); poultry (turkey, chicken); seafood (shrimp, salmon, halibut, tuna, sardines, cod); nuts and seeds (flax, sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, cashews, peanuts, almonds, walnuts).For magnesium have dark leafy greens (baby spinach, kale, collard greens), wheat germ, fish (salmon, halibut, tuna, and mackerel), soybeans, and banana.For calcium, have low-fat milk, cheeses, yogurt, sardines, fortified cereals and soybeans.For Vitamin B6, have sunflower seeds, pistachio nuts, flaxseed, fish (tuna, salmon, and halibut), and dried prunes.For melatonin, have fruits and vegetables like corn, asparagus, tomatoes, pomegranate, olives, grapes, broccoli, cucumber; grains like rice, barley, rolled oats and nuts and seeds.Foods high in fat have been linked to poor, fragmented sleep. Fat triggers the digestive processes and causes a build-up of stomach acids, which while lying down can cause discomfort

Originally posted here:
Diet to induce sound sleep - Times of India

Brits are more likely to stick to a healthy lifestyle change if theyre doing it with someone else.

A study of 2,000 adults found two in five plan to try a different diet or fitness routine in 2020, with 58 per cent getting a buddy to do it with them.

As a result of getting fit and healthy with a friend, 62 per cent agree they are more likely to stick with a new plan.

And one in four believe they burn off more calories when working out with a friend than they do alone.

A third of those polled in the study, commissioned by WW - Weight Watchers Reimagined, even admitted they would give up sooner without the help of another person to keep them going.

Half put the success with a partner down to feeling more motivated, 44 per cent enjoy planning meals together and a quarter prefer having someone to exercise with.

But the average adult admitted to falling out of a gym routine after 10 weeks and slipping up around eight weeks into a diet.

Zoe Griffiths, global director of nutrition at WW: Its interesting to see how much of a positive influence a partner can have on Brits sticking to diet plans and fitness routines.

Whether its giving up something together such as chocolate, or hitting milestones together like five or 10k runs, it always helps having someone else going through the same emotions.

Youre more likely to stick to a wellness commitment or diet when you do it with someone else you can lean on for support and motivation.

It helps you to be more open and honest about your diet, makes activities like working out more enjoyable and softens the fear of failure.

The study also found two thirds are planning on getting healthy with their other half, while a fifth are taking the plunge with a friend.

An eighth are even attempting to make a lifestyle change with their colleague.

A third of those polled admitted they usually need to be motivated when sticking to a health plan, with their partner considered to be the best at giving them a boost when they need it.

More than a fifth (22 per cent) also said its easier to be active if it means spending time with a relative or buddy.

And one in four find following a plan with a fitness partner both confidence boosting and fun.

A further 22 per cent said if theyre following an exercise regime with a companion they wouldnt quit even if they wanted to - because they wouldnt want to be the one to let the team down.

Similarly, three in 10 admitted to cancelling on a gym buddy in the past, which left 48 per cent feeling guilty and more than a quarter feeling lazy.

When it comes to eating, one in four prefer meal-planning with someone else rather than going it alone and 15 per cent admitted its most difficult to stick to a healthy diet when eating out with friends.

A fifth of those polled struggle with their food plans when on holiday.

Zoe Griffiths added: With the pressure of new year, new you ever prevalent, we want people to feel as though they are set-up for the best possible chance of success when it comes to achieving their wellness goals.

A unique WW insight has shown than members who join together are likely to lose up to 14 per cent more weight than those who join alone, so the results from this study make total sense.

Read more:
One change makes it more likely you will stick to a diet or fitness plan - Wales Online

Research shows how diet is connected to mental health  |  Photo Credit: Getty Images

Washington DC: Researchers who have conducted a review on the relationship between a healthy diet and its relation to mental health have confirmed how a poor diet can worsen one's mental health. The research published in the peer-reviewed journal European Neuropsychopharmacology cautions that the evidence for many diets is comparatively weak.

Lead author, Professor Suzanne Dickson said: "We have found that there is increasing evidence of a link between a poor diet and the worsening of mood disorders, including anxiety and depression. However, many common beliefs about the health effects of certain foods are not supported by solid evidence".

Some links between diet and mental health are firmly established by the researchers, such as the ability of high fat and low carbohydrate diet (a ketogenic diet) which could help children with epilepsy, and the effect of vitamin B12 deficiency on fatigue, poor memory, and depression.

Mediterranean diet, that is rich in vegetables and olive oil, has also been found as a piece of good evidence for better mental health, such as giving some protection against depression and anxiety. "With individual conditions, we often found very mixed evidence", said Suzanne Dickson.

"With ADHD for example, we can see an increase in the quantity of refined sugar in the diet seems to increase ADHD and hyperactivity, whereas eating more fresh fruit and vegetables seems to protect against these conditions. But there are comparatively few studies, and many of them don't last long enough to show long-term effects," she added.

Though the study confirmed that certain foods can be associated with mental health conditions, it is not completely aware of why the food causes this effect. It concludes that the need to link mental health effects with provable dietary causes needs to be the main focus of future research in nutritional psychiatry.

Professor Dickson continued: "There is a general belief that dietary advice for mental health is based on solid scientific evidence. In reality, it is very difficult to prove that specific diets or specific dietary components contribute to mental health."

The major confirmation given by the researchers on how some foods had readily provable links to mental health, is the nutrition in the womb and in early life can have significant effects on brain function in later life. Proving the effect of diet on mental health in the general population was more difficult.

Originally posted here:
Research shows how diet is connected to mental health: Here's all you need to know - Times Now

By Joe McCormack

If youre like most of us,you overindulged a bit too much in 2019. No, not on calories (well, maybe thosetoo!), but on noise. Thats the name for the dizzying onslaught ofinformation from work emails, app notifications, the 24/7 news cycle, socialmedia updates, and other forms of screen time that leaves us unable to focus,listen, or do deep work.

A smidgen of noise now andagain is okay. (We all have our guilty pleasures!) But consuming it mindlessly,all day long, is as bad as keeping a bag of chips, a monster-size soda, and acan of frosting at our desk and reaching for them every few minutes.

Too many empty braincalories wont make you fat but they will make you mentally anemic. Noise keepsyou in a constant state of distraction. And like actual junk food, a high-noisedigital diet is addictive, yet it never satisfies or nourishes you.

The real problem with givinginto noise temptation isnt what youre doing; its what youre not doing.Youre tuning out what really matters. Youre skimming the surface. When yourescrolling Facebook, for instance, you arent learning a new language, refiningthat career-changing presentation, or engaging with your kids in a meaningfulway.

The new year is the perfecttime to put yourself on a noise diet. To help with your calorie count, letstake a look at what noise junk food looks like:

The irritatingyetaddictiveparade of social media stock characters in your newsfeed. This bandof noisemakers assaults your brain with their cries for attention. Forinstance:

The humble bragger. Yourcollege rival who subtly slips into her post that she just got anotherpromotion at her swanky company. #blessed #gag

The cryptic drama-stirrer.That self-righteous friend who calls out people anonymously for perceivedslights or makes vague poor me pity posts. (Cue the wave of very concernedcommenters.)

The over-sharer. We dontneed a play-by-play of your colonoscopy. Thanks.

The drop-of-a-hat ranter. Whose day would be complete without a furiousrecounting of how the barista screwed up your nonfat, dairy-free, double-shot,decaf, extra-hot mochaccino with extra foam? The nerve!

The overly zealous kidpromoter. Yes, yes, we know Junior is the smartest, cutest, cleverest totaroundyour other 15 posts this week made that perfectly clear.

The amateur politicalpundit. Do not engagejust dont.

[emailprotected]$$ shows on TV. Youdont need to waste your precious attention span watching Jerry Springer,B-list celebrity lip-synch contests, or those morning talk shows.Substance-free television combined with the lure of a cozy couch can quicklyturn into a lost day or evening.

The 24/7 newscarousel-of-darkness. Sadly, most news is bad news, and during a controversialelection year it can also be fodder for controversy, vitriol, and the loss ofcivility with friends, family, and neighbors. (Hint: You dont need to totallydisengage, but its good to be discerning about what you let inand about howoften you engage in debates with the people in your life.)

Yourwork email. Your boss just had to email you at 9:30 p.m.again. The momentyou jump out of the bath to write back is the moment work email becomes yetanother source of noise.

Are you feeling that noisehangover settle in? Dont worry, you can kick off the new year with a differentkind of dietone that cuts the empty brain calories of digital distractionand gives you what youre really craving: a more intentional life. Join myJust Say No to Noise Movement and tip the scales in the other direction. Afew suggestions:

Try going a week withoutsocial media. (We promise, youll survive.) A short detox from social media isa pretty painless way to unplug and reclaim a lot of lost time. When the weekis over, you can see if you even want to go back to occasional scrolling.

Reduce temptation byhiding distracting devices from yourself. Okay, you probably cant hide yourcomputer but you can shut the office door. As for cell phones and tablets,treat them like what they are: gateways to digital distraction (and it is avery slippery slope). Find an out-of-the-way place to charge and store yourdevices so youre not constantly reaching for them.

Break the idiot-boxbackground noise habit. Its easy to mindlessly turn on the TV when you gethome. Problem is, its broadcasting nonstop noise into your work-free hours.Instead, plan a time to watch your favorite shows. Daily exposure to thedepressing litany of pain and conflict we call news isnt making your lifebetter. Neither is watching the Fatty McButterpants episode of King of Queensfor the 50th time. (Okay, we admit that one is pretty funny.)

Set some work/lifeboundaries with the 7-to-7 rule. The company wont crash if you stop answeringemails around the clock. After 7 p.m., put away your devices for the night.Dont pick them up again until 7 a.m.the next day.

Insist on phone-free familydinners Yes, the kids might whine at first, but soon enough theyll get usedto conversing with the out-of-touch Boomers and Karens at the table.

andscreen-free family fun days. For instance, make video games and TV completelyoff-limits every Wednesday and Friday. Yes, even if the kids swear they have nohomework. Instead, do something fun or productive as a family. Play a boardgame. Go bowling or skating. Cook a great meal together. Volunteer at the localanimal shelter. Heckmaybe even read.

Learn to save yourappetite for the stuff that really matters Your appetite is really yourattention span, and its your most precious resource. Filling up on headlines,emails, and social media means theres little left over for doing the deep andmeaningful work that helps you reach big goals at work and in your personallife. Before you cozy into an hour of lurking on your exs Facebook page, closethe laptop and find something productive to do.

and choose somemeaningful goals to pursue. When you are able to sharpen and aim your focus,you can do some pretty impressive &%$#. Want to start a website? Get abetter job? Learn to code? These North Star goals are the best incentive torethink your relationship with noise and see how your life changes.

We dont realize that veryoften our addiction to information is the thing holding us back from getting ahuge promotion, becoming valedictorian, or training for a marathon, but thatsexactly what happens as time passes. Once you think of it this way, its somuch easier to put yourself on a noise diet. Make this the year you take backyour time and use it to do something that matters.

Joseph McCormack is theauthor of NOISE: Living and Leading When Nobody Can Focus. He is passionateabout helping people gain clarity when there is so much competing for ourattention. He is a successful marketer, entrepreneur, and author. His firstbook, BRIEF: Make a Bigger Impact by Saying Less (Wiley, 2014), sets thestandard for concise communication.

Joe is the founder andmanaging director of The BRIEF Lab, an organization dedicated to teachingprofessionals, military leaders, and entrepreneurs how to think and communicateclearly. His clients include Boeing, Harley-Davidson, Microsoft, Mastercard,DuPont, and select military units and government agencies. He publishes aweekly podcast called Just Saying that helps people master the elusive skillsof focus and brevity.

To learn more, visitwww.noisethebook.com.

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Guest Op-Ed: The New Years Noise Diet: Why You Should Cut the Empty Brain Calories in 2020 - Chelsea Record

The end-of-year/New Year holidays seem to whiplash us from one extreme to the other: eat, drink and be merry vs. the customary New Years resolutions: reduce social media, reduce weight, and embrace a plant-based diet!

One third of consumers already report reducing their consumption of animal foods. Hundreds of school, college, hospital, and corporate cafeterias have embraced Meatless Monday. Even fast-food chains Chipotle, Dennys, Panera, Subway, Taco Bell, White Castle are rolling out plant-based options.

A dozen start-ups, led by Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, are creating healthy, eco-friendly, compassionate, convenient, delicious plant-based meat and dairy alternatives. Meat industry giants Tyson Foods, Cargill, and Canadas Maple Leaf Foods have invested heavily in plant-based meat development. So have a number of Microsoft, Google, Twitter, and PayPal pioneers.

According to Plant-Based Foods Association, plant-based food sales have grown by 20% in recent years, ten times the growth rate of all foods. Sales of plant-based cheeses, creamers, butter, yogurts, and ice creams are exploding at a 50% growth rate. Plant-based milks now account for 15% of the milk market.

The plant-based New Years resolution requires no sweat or deprivation just some fun exploration of your favorite supermarket, restaurants, and food websites.

Iakov Mondragon

Elkins

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Start of year may be time to look at diet | News, Sports, Jobs - The Inter-Mountain

The rise in hospital admissions for people with eating disorders reported on Thursday is very concerning. It shows that much more must be done to intervene early and provide intensive support in the community.

One of the main problems patients face is that for many, their eating disorders are simply not taken seriously enough. Eating disorders are complex mental illnesses with the potential to be incredibly damaging. They are not a diet gone wrong in fact, anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. They often cause major physical health problems and without the right support people with eating disorders often become isolated: cut off from education, work or a social life.

NHS data shows that hospital admissions for those with eating disorders increased from about 14,000 in 2016-17 to just over 19,000 in 2018-19. This in itself is very worrying hospital admission is typically reserved for the most severely ill patients, which suggests that too often, people with eating disorders are not being identified and supported to access help until they have reached crisis point. Guidelines from Nice recommend that, where possible, outpatient treatment should be offered in the first instance. Getting rapid access to high-quality treatment and support in the community can prevent people with eating disorders from deteriorating to a point where hospital admission is required and provides the best chance of recovery.

Some are quick to blame social media or celebrities, but this is too simplistic. There is a lot to learn about what causes eating disorders, mainly because research in this area has been woefully underfunded. But recent advances in the study of genetics suggest that some people are likely to be at a much greater risk of developing an eating disorder when exposed to various life experiences such as stress, bullying or traumatic events. More research will be key if we are to achieve the ultimate aim of preventing eating disorders from developing in the first place.

But what needs to be done to ensure that everyone with an eating disorder gets the help they need? Since 2016 there has been a big step forward in access to specialist NHS treatment for under-18s in England. This progress was driven by the introduction of an ambitious national standard that evidence-based treatment should start within four weeks and additional investment, staff recruitment and training. However, we know that this progress has not been even, with some areas being left behind. The government and the NHS in England must ensure that the additional funding that they have pledged for these services in the NHS Long Term Plan reaches the front line, and that national standards are met in every area.

Adult eating disorder services are severely underresourced, having been overlooked in the preceding NHS mental health strategy. In 2017 the parliamentary and health service ombudsman published a damning report that highlighted the need for greater investment in these services to prevent further lives being lost. Beats recent research illustrated how adults with eating disorders in England face a postcode lottery to access specialist treatment. We now need to see the government and the NHS apply the same level of ambition for adult eating disorder services as they have for under-18s. This would mean introducing a fully funded access and waiting time standard for adult eating disorder services.

We also need more innovation in care. In much of the country if you do not meet the thresholds to access an inpatient bed, but you need more support than outpatient care, there is nothing available. Intensive day care or home-based treatments can minimise the need for inpatient admissions, reduce length of stay and provide a step down from inpatient care to living back in the community.

Investing in specialist services is crucial but will not be enough on its own. On average it takes three years before seeking help. We need a more comprehensive effort to reduce this gap. Too often an eating disorder is only suspected when the individual has already reached crisis point. GPs, hospital doctors, nurses, education staff, employers and others, if properly trained, are well-placed to spot the early signs of an eating disorder and to support referral to a specialist.

On average UK medical schools provide less than two hours teaching about eating disorders, with one in five providing no teaching at all. Opportunities for junior doctors to benefit from clinical experience are extremely limited. The General Medical Council (GMC), which sets standards for medical training, has committed to work with medical schools and others to ensure that tomorrows doctors are properly trained in how to identify, safely manage and refer patients with eating disorders. In 2019 the GMC acknowledged the need for medical training in this area to improve and took some encouraging steps. We hope that we can support this work further in 2020.

If you are worried about yourself or someone else you can call Beats helpline on 0808 801 0677 12pm 8pm on weekdays and 4pm-8pm on weekends.

Tom Quinn is director of external affairs at Beat, the UKs eating disorder charity

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Anorexia is the deadliest mental illness. Why is the NHS still not taking it seriously? - The Guardian