It is well known that obesity levels have tripled since the 1980s in the UK, due to changes in eating habits as well as low levels of physical activity. This massive rise in the numbers of overweight and obese people is a ticking time-bomb for long-term conditions such as heart disease and diabetes in the coming decades as well as for health and wellbeing.
Apart from the risk of illness, obesity is associated with other factors that impair wellbeing, such as low self-esteem, diminished social and work opportunities, and reduced physical mobility.
A recent Department of Health and Food Standards Agency survey into the habitual diets of British adults found that only 13% of men and 15% of women met the five-a-day recommendation for fruit and vegetable intake. Average saturated fat intake was above the official recommendations, and fibre intake was well below recommendations. In addition to this, many young women were not consuming enough iron.
Clearly many adults in Britain could benefit from dietary advice to improve their overall health and wellbeing.
A variety of fresh, colourful foods, cooked well and presented attractively, can improve our wellbeing by increasing the pleasure that we get from food as well as providing all the nutrients we need for good health. The taste, smell and texture of foods provide pleasurable sensory benefits. Foods such as chocolate can improve our mood by providing pleasure, whilst some can impair our mood or brain functions such as alcohol, and there are some foods that help improve our moods in general.
Our wellbeing and health is greatly influenced by the choices we make when nourishing our bodies. Make The Year of Wellbeing your opportunity to learn how to change some bad habits and improve your physical, spiritual and emotional health.
