Health: A Complicated Word

Written By:

Camille Williams, LCPC, CEDS-C

Two of the most common things people wish for in life are to be happy and healthy. How does one achieve these things though? People often begin to discover what makes them happy through connections and passions. Health can be a little more complicated though. It doesn’t help that there are so many ideas about what being healthy is.

This picture shows the typical ways people are encouraged to be healthy

The medical field has often tried to simplify health by creating ranges based on height and weight, also known as BMI. Diet culture has infused endless amounts of conflicting information about nutrition into our society as well. These messages and beliefs can become very powerful when health is highly sought after. They have also created a polarization between what is “healthy” or “good” and what is “unhealthy” or “bad.” The pursuit of health has led to increased judgment around food and bodies, that ultimately has negatively impacted health. When labels of good and bad are associated with food and bodies experiences of shame, guilt, and body image struggles get multiplied.

The relationship with food could be much improved if labels of good and bad were eliminated. There is nutritional value in all foods people consume and fretting over eating a “bad” food can create unnecessary stress or attempts to avoid a “bad” food can lead to an endless restrict-binge cycle. Instead, food can be viewed with a neutral stance. Working with a dietitian can help someone understand the nutritional value it provides and how all foods can be a form of energy for our bodies. The relationship with food can also be seen as a meaningful one that fosters connection and relationships or brings joy. Creating a neutral stance and a meaningful relationship with food can decrease shame about it and help normalize patterns with food. It can also still invite curiosity around patterns with food and opportunities to improve nutritional wellness through a better balance of food groups or increased variety by trying new things.

These labels affect a person’s body image as well. If bodies are placed into “good” and “bad” categories there is going to be an abundance of judgment, shame, and oppression. There is a lot of research that has debunked BMI as an accurate way to determine health. However, many people still hold a belief that weight and body shape provide an “image” for health. The emphasis on thinness as a road to health and happiness has only increased body dissatisfaction and obsessive ways to change the body. The National Eating Disorder Association reports that one study found 69-84% of women in the United States experience body dissatisfaction and want to be at a lower weight (2). Therefore, is it any surprise that the diet industry continues to make billions of dollars every year and weight loss products, especially new weight loss prescriptions, more than doubled from 2022 to 2023 (3). These industries will continue to thrive as long as people are seeing their bodies as “bad” or “unhealthy.” They will continue to promote new “solutions” while rarely improving someone’s health and happiness.

The World Health Organization defines health as, “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (4). This definition is broad and leaves a lot of room for interpretation. It is a good starting point though, to be more open to a complex and individualized view of health. It is also helpful that this definition accounts for mental and social well-being. So often health has been discussed only in terms of someone’s physical wellness as assessed by doctors or by looking at diet and exercise. Health extends far beyond these habits. Health is also social connection, emotional regulation, internal peace, spirituality, financial stability, and more. This broad view provides further opportunities to explore and work towards personal health goals. The Association of Size Diversity and Health provides a set of principles that further clarify health as a personal choice and journey (1).

This picture provides a broad view of health that takes into account much more than just physical wellness

Health is complicated to define because it is individualized and has so many facets. This is exciting news because it means being healthy is not limited to adjusting exercise plans and food intake. Being healthy has often been associated with not being “enough” – good enough, skinny enough, exercising enough – and needing to change. In reality, being healthy needs to start with acceptance rather than judgment. This will create space for change and growth rather than shame and guilt that are rarely effective motivators. A health journey can be an exciting and inspiring process when meaningful health goals are discovered and self-acceptance is present.

References

1.     ASDAH. “The Health at Every Size® (HAES®) Principles.” ASDAH, 2024, asdah.org/haes/.

2.     Eating Disorder Statistics - National Eating Disorders Association. (2024, April 30). National Eating Disorders Association. https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/statistics/#body-image

3.     LaRosa, J. (2024, March 6). U.S. Weight Loss Industry Grows to $90 Billion, Fueled by Obesity Drugs Demand. Blog.marketresearch.com. https://blog.marketresearch.com/u.s.-weight-loss-industry-grows-to-90-billion-fueled-by-obesity-drugs-demand

4.     World Health Organization. (1948). Constitution of the World Health Organization. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/about/governance/constitution