IT’S easy to live for today and have a short-term mindset when it comes to health.  

Every year weight loss is the top priority or goal that people seek to achieve, but at a cost to their health in using short term weight loss strategies or a crash dieting.  Where we live, survey research has shown that a high number of people live in the here and now, eating what they want and don’t eat foods that support their health despite knowing the benefit of them.  

The majority of these respondents also stated weight loss as a major health goal despite not knowing the unhealthy benefits from some of these crash diets. 

It is time to prioritise our long-term health and wellbeing rather than just focusing on short term weight loss goals. As a registered nutritionist, it is my duty to improve people’s health and wellbeing in Ireland. But despite promoting the need for an overall approach to health, the message isn’t getting through, with people continuing to focus on weight loss as a measure of good health.  

For example, if a female was on a crash diet and wasn’t taking in enough calories this will lead to low body fat which will affect the menstrual cycle and the hormone oestrogen being produced.  Oestrogen plays a key role in calcium absorption but a lack of this hormone being produced will mean less calcium being absorbed and weaker bones for the female.  For a male, a lack of sufficient calories can affect a hormone called insulin growth factor one (IGF-1) doing its job which plays a key role in growth and development of bone.  These low-calorie dietary scenarios for both male and female would seriously put your physical health at risk when it comes to bones. 

Society and social media can be very focused on weight, but we know weight is not the full predictor of health. You can be healthy in any size and shape body.  

And a sufficient number of calories is needed to keep you healthy with an average guide being around 2,000-2,500 for female and male.  
 
• Lee McCusker (BA; MSc; MSc; MSc; ANutr; SENr) is a registered nutritionist from Belfast and can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  Email: attentive nutrition@gmail.com