Rob Hobson Archives - Rob Hobson

The health benefits of walnuts

27Mar27th March 2023 By Rob Hobson

New research has shown how the link between walnut consumption and heart health may be linked via the gut.

The study showed that:

Since walnuts have heart health benefits, researchers conducted a study to analyse their impact on the gut microbiome.
The researchers were curious whether the heart benefits derived from walnuts may start in the gut.
The researchers assigned diets to three groups, including one that ate whole walnuts, and then tested biological samples from each participant.
The findings showed people who consumed a diet with walnuts had higher levels of the amino acid L-homoarginine in their guts.
Since people with lower levels of homoarginine are at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease, this finding showed that it might be possible to improve heart health by making dietary changes that affect the gut.

What are the health benefits of walnuts?

Walnuts are a type of tree nut that have been enjoyed for their taste and nutritional benefits for thousands of years. They are a rich source of protein, healthy fats, fibre, vitamins, and minerals, making them an excellent addition to any healthy diet.

May Improve Heart Health

Walnuts contain a high amount of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to improve heart health by reducing inflammation and decreasing the risk of heart disease.

Studies have also found that consuming walnuts may help to lower LDL (harmful) cholesterol levels and improve overall cholesterol levels.

May help with Weight Management

Despite being a high-fat food, walnuts help with weight management. This is because they are high in fibre and protein, which can help keep you feeling full and satisfied for extended periods. In addition, walnuts have a low glycaemic index, meaning they are less likely to cause blood sugar spikes and crashes, which can lead to overeating.

May Improve Brain Function

Walnuts are a good source of antioxidants, which can help to protect the brain from damage caused by free radicals.

Additionally, the omega-3 fatty acids in walnuts have been shown to improve cognitive function and memory in older adults.

May Help to Prevent Cancer

Studies have found that consuming walnuts may help to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer,

including breast and prostate cancer. This is thought to be due to the high levels of antioxidants and polyphenols found in walnuts, which have been shown to have anti-cancer properties.

May Improve Gut Health

Walnuts are high in fibre, which can help to promote healthy digestion and improve gut health.

Additionally, walnuts contain prebiotic compounds, which can help to feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut, leading to improved gut health and a more robust immune system.

Walnuts are a delicious and nutritious addition to any diet, so next time you’re looking for a healthy snack, reach for a handful!

Sleep and the Clocks Going Forward

26Mar26th March 2023 By Rob Hobson

As the end of March approaches, people in the UK prepare for the annual event of the clocks going forward by one hour. While it may seem like a minor adjustment, this can significantly impact our sleep and daily routines.

How can we make this transition as smooth as possible?

In this blog, we’ll explore the importance of sleep and offer tips for adjusting to the time change.

Why Is Sleep Important?

Sleep is essential to our daily lives, allowing our bodies and minds to recharge and repair. It plays a vital role in maintaining our physical and mental health, including our immune system, mood, and cognitive function. Getting enough high-quality sleep is also linked to a lower risk of chronic health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

The Effects of Daylight Saving Time on Sleep

Daylight Saving Time, also known as Summer Time in the UK, was initially introduced to better use daylight hours during the summer months. However, the shift in time can disrupt our natural sleep patterns, leading to difficulties falling asleep, waking up earlier than usual, and feeling tired and groggy during the day.

Research suggests that transitioning to Daylight Saving Time can significantly impact our health and well-being. Studies have linked the time change to increased car accidents, workplace injuries, and heart attacks. It can also exacerbate existing sleep disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnea.

Tips for Adjusting to the Time Change

Here are some tips for minimising the impact of the time change on your sleep and daily routines:

Gradually adjust your sleep schedule: In the days leading up to the time change, shift your bedtime and wake-up time progressively by 15-30 minutes each day. This can help your body adjust to the new schedule more smoothly.
Create a relaxing bedtime routine: Establish a relaxing routine to help your mind and body wind down before sleep. This could include taking a warm bath, reading a book, or practicing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or meditation.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol: Caffeine and alcohol can interfere with sleep, so it’s best to avoid these substances before bedtime.
Get plenty of sunlight: Exposure to natural light can help regulate your body’s internal clock and promote healthy sleep. Try to spend some time outdoors during the day, especially in the morning.
Practice good sleep hygiene: Make sure your sleeping environment is conducive, with comfortable bedding, a cool temperature, and minimal noise and light.

By following these tips, you can help minimize the impact of the time change on your sleep and daily routines. Remember, getting enough high-quality sleep is essential for your health and well-being, so it’s worth taking the time to prioritise your sleep habits.

Read more about sleep here: Are You a Sleep Hijacker?

Everything athletes need to know about protein

10Mar10th March 2022 By Rob Hobson

What is protein?

Protein is one of the three macronutrients alongside carbohydrates and fats. These are required in larger amounts for the body to function properly and they provide a source of energy. While protein can provide energy its main function is for the growth and repair of muscle, bone, skin, enzymes, hormones and other components critical to bodily functions.

Proteins are made up of smaller molecules called amino acids. There are 20 different amino acids which link together in different combinations to form complex structures. Nine of these amino acids can’t be made in the body and must be gleaned from the diet which is why they are referred to as being ‘essential’.

How much protein does a healthy adult need?

UK dietary guidelines (based on a sedentary population) recommend 56g of protein for men and 45g for women daily. These guidelines are based on a dietary intake of 0.75g protein per kg of body weight¹.

How much protein do we get in our diet?

The National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2020) has shown that protein intake in healthy adults is well above the recommendations as men consume 85g and women 68g daily². Some people may need more protein in their diets, such as pregnant women, those recovering from illness or injury, and athletes engaged in endurance or strength-based sports.

What are the best sources of protein in the diet?

The topic of protein in the diet is just as much about quality as it is quantity. The quality of a protein is gauged on its essential amino acid content and you could also factor in how it appears in a food; for example, a lean steak would be considered healthier that a meat pie or sausage.

Foods such as meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, and whole sources of soy (tofu, edamame beans, tempeh) contain all nine essential amino acids.

Plant-based sources such as beans, pulses, lentils, nuts, and seeds contain some but not all the essential amino acids. People following a plant-based diet should endeavour to consume a variety of different foods rich in protein across the day.

How does an athletes protein requirement differ?

Despite the importance of nutrition many athletes still seem to be confused about what to eat. Commonly, athletes consume above and beyond the amount of protein required to support their needs. This high intake of protein comes at the expense of carbohydrates which in the case of endurance athletes or team sports players may hamper performance.

Understanding protein requirements in athletes is often about establishing a better macronutrient split in favour of carbs rather than dealing with insufficiency.

Recommendations for protein intake amongst athletes vary depending on the type of sport. They are given as grams per kg of body weight per day^3,4.

Regular physical activity 1.0-1.2 g
Endurance athletes 1.2-1.4g
Team sports (rugby, football) 1.2-1.4g
Strength/power athletes (weightlifting, wrestling) 1.2-2.0g

Timing is key for muscle protein synthesis

Timing is crucial and consuming protein shortly after exercise is beneficial for muscle protein synthesis (MPS). Consuming protein after training is also facilitates the skeletal muscle adaptive response to each session resulting in more effective muscle reconditioning.

Muscle protein gains in response to resistance exercise are influenced by the training load and the amount, type, and timing of protein during the following 24-48 hours. The anabolic muscle response (growth and building) peaks after consuming 20-25g of protein. Excess of this doesn’t appear to have any more significant effect. This means consuming around 25g of protein post-training and at regular intervals (every few hours) across the day is a more beneficial strategy than higher doses less often.

The type of protein is also important

The amino acid leucine increases the rate of protein synthesis. A post-training meal should be in the form of a rapidly digested protein with a high leucine content such as whey, skimmed milk, and eggs. Whey protein seems to be the most effective at increasing MPS due to its rapid digestion and absorption and its composition of amino acids. Other proteins consumed over the day should be lean and high-quality, containing all the essential amino acids, predominantly animal sources. These can also be supplemented with soy, beans, cheese, and nuts.

Consuming 40g of casein protein before bed has been shown to increase overnight MPS and metabolic rate as it is broken down and releases its amino acids more slowly⁵.

What is the role of protein in building muscle?

After consuming protein, enzymes in the stomach and small intestine break them down into chains of amino acids called peptides. Training causes microtears which trigger an immune response involving stem cells and growth hormone that use the amino acids to repair the damage. These amino acids are sent to damaged muscle cells to stimulate myofibrils’ growth, which are the filaments that make up muscles. These myofibrils fuse with damaged areas of muscle fibres which is a process that helps to make them bigger and stronger.

Do athletes need protein shakes?

You can get all the protein you need from the diet, but sometimes it may be more convenient to consume a protein shake. These shakes are most useful after a training session as they take very little preparation and can be consumed on the go. Shakes also guarantee the correct quantity and quality of protein, comprising all the essential amino acids, including leucine.

Athletes with a high requirement for protein or those following a vegan diet may choose to consume more than one of these shakes a day to ensure their intake. Shakes containing less that 20g of protein are better taken alongside a source of carbohydrate as the release of insulin can help with its uptake. You can do this by blending honey and fruit such as bananas or berries.

Is there a danger of consuming too much protein?

There is no benefit to consuming more protein than is required. It has been claimed that consuming more than 3g/kg/day of protein has adverse side effects, including kidney damage, increased blood lipoproteins (substances made of protein and fat that carry cholesterol around the body), and dehydration.

Consuming up to 2g/kg/day is not harmful. Still, this level of protein intake may come at the expense of carbohydrate and fat when trying to keep energy intake constant which is a crucial consideration for endurance athletes. Athletes consuming a high amount of protein in their diet need to ensure an adequate intake of fluids to avoid dehydration.

References

Useful resources

Joint Position Statement on Nutrition and Athletic Performance – American College of Sports Medicine, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Dietitians of Canada

Are sleep trackers useful?

05Mar5th March 2022 By Rob Hobson

What’s the deal with sleep trackers?

Health tech is ever evolving, and trackers such as FitBit and smartwatches are something that has been adopted by anyone serious about looking after their health. These trackers and associated apps can monitor everything from heart rate to dietary intake.

Many people also use these devices to monitor their sleep, even more so as research begins to unveil the true impact of not sleeping well. However, the accuracy of these trackers to monitor sleep accurately has come into question. In some cases, an overreliance and obsession over the data they provide have led to further sleep issues.

How much sleep do you need?

Current advice around sleep is that the average healthy adult needs 6-9 hours a night¹. Like everything related to health, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ for sleep and indeed no magic number. The variability in sleep times between individuals may be down to genetics and numerous other lifestyle factors. In fact, a decade ago, researchers discovered a genetic mutation in some people linked to short sleep, meaning they got the same benefit on six hours of sleep as those without the mutation who got eight². Since then, several other similar genes have been discovered, contributing to the evidence that functioning well on less sleep is a genetic trait.

Research is ever evolving around sleep. There is plenty to suggest that a lack of it is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression, and anxiety³. However, the definition of ‘lack of sleep’ varies between individuals, so it’s wrong to assume that there will be health consequences if you get less than eight hours a night. It is also not just about total sleep time but sleep quality.

What are the stages of sleep?

Four sleep stages make up a single cycle that lasts around 90 minutes and the number of cycles that occur is dependent on how long you are asleep.

Stage one is short only lasting 5-10 minutes. Sleep is shallow during this stage, and while your brain is dipped into sleep, you may not feel as though you are asleep. This is the stage at which you can be easily woken.

Stage two is often referred to as light sleep. It’s an important stage that takes up much of the night and is characterised by a slowing down of breathing and heart rate. During the first sleep cycle, this stage lasts around 10-25 mins but increases during subsequent cycles to make up half of the time you spend asleep.

Stage three is deep sleep, and it is difficult to wake people up from this stage in the cycle. The body totally relaxes during this stage, and your pulse and breathing rate drops even further. This stage is restorative and essential for recovery and growth and bolstering the immune system. The body is vulnerable during this stage, so after the first couple of sleep cycles, the time spent in this stage reduces as you spend more time in REM sleep.

The final stage of sleep is REM. During this stage, the body is inactive, but your eyes move rapidly hence the name. Heart rate increases and breathing becomes more irregular during this stage. Bodily functions such as protein synthesis peek at this stage, which is also when you are most likely to dream. This stage is also essential for cognition, learning, and creativity.

So, back to sleep trackers.

How do sleep trackers monitor sleep?

Sleep trackers monitor sleep by movement and heart rate, but their accuracy is certainly not 100%. Just because you’re not moving doesn’t necessarily mean you are asleep, which is a flaw in the tech. Wearables that monitor heart rate are likely to be a little more accurate at defining between the sleep stages as it fluctuates between them.

Only a few studies compare the accuracy of sleep monitoring devices set against the recognised lab testing called polysomnography, which looks at brain waves, blood oxygen levels, heart rate, breathing, and eye and leg movements. One such study published in the journal Sleep Medical Reviews found that sleep trackers were only accurate 78% of the time when identifying sleep versus wakefulness. This accuracy dropped to just 38% when estimating how long it took participants to fall asleep⁴.

What information do sleep trackers provide?

Most sleep trackers will tell you how long you were asleep and awake during the night. The data is also broken down into the different stages of sleep, and how well you slept is given as a percentage score. This data is helpful to help identify your sleep pattern and provides a way of monitoring your sleep over time.

How people interpret, this data is an issue with these trackers. Most people do not understand how sleep cycles work and how the timing of each stage varies during the night. A common misconception is that you should be getting lots of deep sleep when this is the stage you spend the least time in during the night.

Sleep trackers also have no way of assessing exactly how much sleep you need. Most trackers give you a higher score for getting closer to eight hours a night, but this is misleading if you only need six hours to function optimally.

Can sleep trackers do more harm than good?

While the information provided by sleep trackers can be helpful, it can’t be relied upon to give you an accurate analysis. In some instances, people have become too focused on this data in their quest to achieve the perfect sleep score. This obsessive focus can cause anxiety and unhealthy sleep behaviours, ironically disrupting sleep.

Researchers have coined the term ‘orthosomnia’ to describe the potential risks associated with people who develop an unhealthy preoccupation with improving the data from their sleep tracker⁵. Studies on the topic have shown how people self-diagnose and convince themselves they have a sleep disorder based on their sleep data even though they may not⁵. The knock-on effect is increased stress and time and money wasted investigating the issue.

Some people may also spend excessive time in bed to improve their sleep scores. The problem with this behaviour is that it reinforces poor sleeping habits and can condition the body for sleeplessness, leading to future issues with insomnia further down the line.

How useful are sleep trackers?

Sleep trackers provide some helpful insight into your sleep patterns, and they offer a way to monitor this over time. They won’t help you get a better night’s sleep, as this is down to good sleep hygiene habits.

The problem with many health techs is that it needs to be programmed around a set of algorithms based on generic data or information imputed by the user. As far as sleep is concerned, wearables do not have the functionality to establish precisely how much sleep you need to function at your best. Research has shown how people become more reliant on their tracker to tell them whether they got a restful sleep. The only way to figure this out is by listening to your own body. Rather than focusing too much on numbers, it is better to assume you are getting enough sleep if you wake up fully rested and perform well during the day.

References

Can sleep influence your body weight?

25Feb25th February 2022 By Rob Hobson

Does a lack of sleep encourage weight gain?

Sleep has become a hot topic in the world of health, and research highlights the broader issues of sleep deprivation extending way beyond simply feeling tired. One particular area of interest is the impact of chronic sleep deprivation on body weight and studies suggest that sleep deprivation is independently associated with a higher risk of obesity.

A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found people who sleep less than 5 hours a night eat more during the day (1). A further study found people who slept 5 hours or less a night had the highest BMI and greatest weight gain when compared to those who slept for 7 hours (2).

But does this mean that if you don’t sleep well, you will get fat?

What is the role of sleep?

Sleep is defined as “A condition of body and mind which typically recurs for several hours every night, in which the nervous system is inactive, the eyes closed, the postural muscles relaxed, and consciousness practically suspended.”

A lot is going on once you fall asleep. The body needs a surprising amount of energy to fuel these functions, including memory processing, muscle and joint recovery, and growth. Poor sleep impacts mood, concentration, and alertness, and the effects of long-term sleep deprivation have been linked to several severe health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and stroke (3).

How well are we sleeping?

Optimally, we should all be aiming to get around 8 hours of sleep a night. However, according to research carried out by the Royal Society for Public Health, it appears most of us only manage to get less than seven.

Over a week, this deficit equates to a whole night’s sleep, and research by The Sleep Council has shown that 33 percent of people only manage 5–6 hours, while 7 percent get less than 5 hours.

Researchers at Loughborough University found that those who habitually slept for less than six hours each night tended to have a higher BMI than those who managed to get the recommended eight nightly hours.

Does sleep deprivation affect our appetite hormones?

Research has suggested that a lack of sleep may impact the hormones leptin and ghrelin, which control appetite. Leptin sends signals to the brain to help inhibit hunger, while ghrelin is released by the stomach to stimulate appetite. The research suggests that a lack of sleep may reduce leptin and increases ghrelin which may be a factor for weight gain in non-sleepers.

In one study, men who got four hours or less of sleep had increased ghrelin and decreased leptin compared to those who got 10 hours. This dysregulation of such hormones could lead to increased appetite and a reduced feeling of fullness in sleep-deprived people (4).

This hormonal effect may explain the correlation between obesity and sleep deprivation highlighted by specific studies, but more research is needed.

In addition, several studies have also indicated that sleep deprivation affects food preferences. Sleep-deprived individuals tend to choose foods that are high in calories and carbohydrates (5).

Insulin and sleep

Insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar, may also be affected by sleep. This hormone also promotes the storage of fat, and as such, it has been suggested that higher levels may impact weight gain. One published study found that sleep deprivation may increase the release of insulin and another hormone called cortisol which has also been associated with fat storage in the body (6).

How does being overweight affect our ability to sleep?

Being overweight can affect our ability to sleep in a couple of ways. Sleep apnoea is a condition that affects breathing during the night which can disrupt sleep. If this is an issue, make sure you sleep on your side to help open up the airways.

Indigestion is another problem that interrupts sleep and is more common in overweight people. Heartburn is a common symptom of indigestion as stomach acid rises into the oesophagus and throat.

Does this all mean that poor sleep makes you overweight?

Definitely not as the research is far from definitive. There may also be a much simpler connection….

Sleep deprivation causes fatigue and tiredness, impacting our motivation to eat well and keep active. Chronic sleep deprivation could also affect mental health contributing to low mood, depression, and anxiety. Such mental health conditions may lead to erratic eating behaviours such as skipping meals, comfort eating, or binging on unhealthy foods, contributing to weight gain.

The possible link between sleep and body weight is just one of many areas of research on this topic. Maintaining a healthy body involves diet and exercise but sleep should be a consideration.

References

What are the health benefits of herbs and spices?

23Feb23rd February 2022 By Rob Hobson

What is a herb and spice?

The definition of a spice is an aromatic part of a tropical plant, whether that is a root, bark, flower or seed and except for vanilla, chilli and allspice, nearly all of them are of Asian origin. Dried herbs are fresh herbs that have been dried to preserve them for storage and to concentrate their flavour.

Dried herbs and spices are used to flavour dishes but they also possess some interesting health benefits including anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties.

Ginger

This pungent root is native to Southeastern Asian countries including China, India and Nepal and has citrus notes and a peppery flavour.

Ginger has been shown to help quell nausea associated with morning sickness, chemotherapy and sea sickness. Ginger has also been shown to help reduce inflammation in the body with one study suggesting commonalities with aspirin or ibuprofen for pain treatment in those with osteoarthritis.

Turmeric

Turmeric is native to Southern India and Indonesia and it features frequently in their local cuisine. This spice contains a compound called curcumin which acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory in the body and research has drawn similarities to the effects of ibuprofen for pain relief in those with joint conditions. Reducing inflammation is important as it is considered to contribute to the development of almost every chronic Western disease.

Cinnamon

The spice is sometimes called Ceylon cinnamon as this is the bushy evergreen tree it originates from which is native to Sri Lanka, India and Burma.

The active compound in cinnamon is called cinnamaldehyde which may help to fight bacterial infections in the body. Cinnamon has been shown to help reduce blood sugar levels by slowing the breakdown of carbohydrates in the digestive tract and improving insulin sensitivity.

Sage

This herb is a member of the mint family and is commonly used to flavour savoury dishes albeit in small amounts given its pungent aroma.

Sage is a rich source of vitamin K which is used by the body to help with blood clotting. This herb is also rich in over one hundred polyphenol compounds that act as antioxidants in the body. Sage is recommended to help treat symptoms of the menopause as it contains phytoestrogens which act in a similar way as human oestrogen but with less effect.

Basil

This aromatic herb originated in India and other tropical regions spanning Africa to Southeast Asia. Today the largest producers of basil are centred around the Mediterranean especially Italy.

Basil contains the antioxidants beta carotene and anthocyanins which can help to protect cells in the body from oxidative stress considered to increase the risk of many diseases. Other research is thin on the ground but has suggested other health benefits including the reduction of high blood pressure.

Thyme

This herb originates from Southern Europe and the western Mediterranean and has a floral scent and peppery taste. The Egyptians used thyme as part of the embalming process while the Greeks used it as incense in their temples.

Thyme is believed to have antimicrobial properties which are due to a class of compounds called biocides including thymol. Studies have suggested that this compound may help to reduce bacterial resistance to drugs such as penicillin. Thyme tinctures has also been researched as an effective way to help treat the skin condition acne.

Rosemary

This herb is native to the Mediterranean and is a member of the mint family. The pungent and slightly bitter taste of rosemary has made it a common addition to savoury mint dishes especially those involving lamb.

In its dried form Rosemary is a source of iron which can make it a useful addition to the diet of those at risk of anaemia which is more common in women than men. Rosemary is often used in alternative medicine as a way of treating indigestion and its essential oil may help to improve concentration and mood according to research.

Mint

This herb is native to North America, South Africa and Australia and some of the most common varieties include peppermint.

Research has suggested that mint (peppermint oil) may help with the management of IBS by relaxing the muscles of the small colon relieving pain during bowel movements. Mint also helps to relieve bloating by relaxing muscles that link to the stomach to the oesophagus allowing trapped air to be expelled.

Adding plenty of herbs and spices to your cooking is not only a delicious way to add flavour to the dishes you prepare but may hold a vital key to helping promote your long-term health.

Men and disordered eating

14Feb19th February 2022 By Rob Hobson

I am not the kind of person who divulges or dwells too much on the past, but my sister posted this picture on my birthday. It drummed up a few memories about my eating habits at the time.

As you can tell by the picture, I clearly wasn’t eating well, but it was never addressed even though I looked terribly thin. I wouldn’t use the word anorexic as it was a phase that lasted just a couple of years, but when I think back, I had all the traits of an eating disorder.

I remember being obsessed with what I was eating while exercising a lot. I became infatuated with counting calories which I jotted down every day on scraps of paper, intending to consume no more than 800 calories a day. I knew the calories of many foods off by heart and could adjust them in my head for the serving size. Embarrassingly, I followed the diet plans found on the back pages of one of the Sunday paper magazines aimed at helping women to lose weight.

My meals consisted of banana sandwiches, cuppa soups, canned tuna, and tiny portions of pasta. I visited my local gym many times a week to do circuit training and aerobics (yes, can you imagine that one!). I also had weights in the shed that I used daily.

As I said earlier, no one really said a thing even though I looked the way I did and it was probably put down to being a skinny teen. I was 15, which would have been in the early ’90s and there was a lot of stuff going on for me at that age as my mum was very ill with cancer, but I was never told what was going on. I was also really struggling at school as I was gay, and it was clearly apparent, which resulted in a long period of bullying. Family life was also chaotic with lots of arguing and a brother who nowadays would have been diagnosed with ADHD.

Psychology is very twisted when you are in this state of mind. I didn’t want to be thin, but I thought I was being healthy. I also wanted to get ‘muscly’ as I was naturally thin but clearly had no idea what I was doing! I think the problem is that it is so easy to take things to the extreme especially when there is a lot of stuff going on around you and you don’t feel confident in your own skin.

I got a buzz from controlling my diet and exercising like a madman. Still, I needed to get grounded somehow and in control and given everything that was going on around me focusing on food and exercise was a way of doing this.

So, what is the point of this blog?

I have been doing lots of stuff around men’s health lately, and I think current society is tricky for young boys to navigate. In the same way women have always had to battle with how the ‘perfect’ body has been portrayed; I think young men are now becoming more exposed to the same type of thing in the media. This isn’t the reason for disordered eating but it can contribute to the issue.

As young girls grew up with barbie dolls and impossibly thin wasted female cartoon characters, boys grew up with muscley characters and action figures. The skinny characters are always seen as weaker and somewhat nerdy. Social media is also riddled with incredible-looking men with a body that is impossible to achieve for most boys. Alongside this, they all seem to lead an extraordinary life on Instagram and if you are feeling insecure about how you look you will attribute this all to how they look.

While many campaigns have helped women to accept, embrace and celebrate their size and shape I am not sure the same thing would be as affective for very slim men. There is quite a lot of stigma around very slim men which is bred from both men and women viewing them as less masculine, weak or less attractive than the macho man. I guess the same could also be said for larger men who I think may not be seen as sexy as the fuller figured woman – although this is just conjecture on my part so please don’t start laying in to me on that one.

One of the most common questions I get asked by men is “how can I bulk up” as they see this as more desirable, and let’s face it, other men and women find a sporty muscle bound body shape to be more attractive.

I got skinny, but many men fall into an unhealthy trap of bigorexia as they become obsessed with getting bulky, spending hours in the gym, and panicking when they can’t seek food or a protein shake every couple of hours.

I have seen and heard from young athletes (mostly endurance sports) who become obsessed with their weight, which can be to the detriment of their performance as they lack the energy and food required to help them train, recover and support a healthy immune system. This can also affect their mental health which is closely linked to performance. Interestingly, they too have become obsessed with food and training to become fitter and perform better rather than being thin but one thing leads to another and it starts to become an issue.

This period for me lasted a year or so and then I started to improve my eating habits and focusing less on food which may have been due to a change in environment and situation. I am still conscious about what I eat and thrive on being fit but it is no longer all consuming and certainly not an issue for me anymore as a 15 stone fitness junkie.

My training as a nutritionist and now sports nutritionist alongside all my experience in this field has given me the knowledge I wish I had when trying to be healthy as a youngster. I love delivering the right science-based advice to clients to help them improve their health in a sensible and sustainable way while also helping them to cut through the ‘noise’ that dominates the health media such as faddy diets and so on. I also hope that my experience of this puts me in a position to speak out and help guys struggling with disordered eating to seek help.

I’m not an expert in this field which relies on the expertise of psychologists and dietitians trained in the topic. I think disordered eating is still a topic considered to be a female issue and something many males may be embarrassed to seek help for as they feel it makes them look weak or less macho.

Unfortunately, I think there are many young boys and men who fall into the trap of disordered eating. There are obviously many reasons why this might happen but the one I am most familiar with in males is trying to improve the way they look or get fitter which alongside low self-esteem and other mental health issues gets taken to the extreme and becomes a problem.

Considering this, I think it’s an issue that should get a little more airtime. Hence, boys feel more comfortable speaking up when they think they are losing control. Even though the stereotype of disordered eating suggests it only occurs in women, one in three people struggling with an eating disorder is male. Subclinical disordered eating behaviours such as binging, purging, fasting for weight loss, and laxative abuse are almost as common in men as in women.

The roots of disordered eating usually lie in deeper embedded problems that can impact men’s mental health and wellbeing. The boys and men I have worked with over the years who are desperate to ‘bulk up’ are often really affected by how they view themselves physically, which affects their self-esteem and confidence.

I guess I just wanted to vent a little bit on the topic. I know it might seem weird as a nutritionist sharing this post but it is a topic I experienced and have often asked myself ‘why did no one recognise that it was a bit of a problem at the time?”. I think there are many issues for men that are still difficult to approach and ‘manning up’ is definitely not the answer.

If you need information or support on eating disorders then go to the Beat website.

Procrastination – the curse of the freelancer or am I just being lazy?

06Feb6th February 2022 By Rob Hobson

Procrastination

I deal with this daily, which results in a lack of sleep and anxiety. I’m really good at getting the work in as a freelancer, but getting the job done can sometimes be a whole other story. This often results in extensions on deadlines, burning the midnight oil, late-night emails to clients, and endless to-do lists, which feature many of the same tasks that I don’t manage to complete over and over again.

Sound familiar?

Thought I would write this quick blog on the topic, although I have to say I feel like a bit of a fraud as dealing with procrastination is a work in progress. Anyway…. I’m not a psychologist, but I have read some helpful stuff on various sites, and some of it I have found really useful, so I thought I would share.

I also think sometimes it’s good to hear that you’re not alone on these work issues and it really doesn’t make you crap at your job – whatever you do, don’t let those thoughts set root in your brain as they are completely redundant.

What is procrastination?

Definitions suggest this is an active process that means doing something else instead of the task in hand that you know you should be doing.

This differs from laziness, which is about apathy, inactivity, and an unwillingness to act.

So, hopefully, for most of you, it will be clear that you are not lazy but procrastinating!

What are the signs of procrastinating?

There are some common signs that you are procrastinating, and these include:

Filling your day with easy and low-priority tasks
Leaving a task on your to-do list for a long time – usually the most important ones
Reading emails over again without making decisions on what to do with them
Making a high priority to-do list, then hurry off to the gym or take a stroll outdoors to get a coffee
Filling your day with menial tasks rather than ones people have asked you to do
Waiting to be in the “”right mood”” or the “”right time”” to complete a task – I’m great at writing a to-do list then saying, “I’ll do it in the morning!”

Why are you procrastinating?

You have to understand why you are doing this before tackling this. Maybe you find the task boring or unpleasant – get these ones out of the way first. I sometimes pay another nutritionist work for me if it’s within budget.

Are there any quick tips for tackling procrastination?

Procrastinating is a habit, and like all habits, it’s a really tricky one to break. I found these tips online a while back, and they are pretty helpful. However, I understand it still takes effort to put them into practice….

Forgiveness

Don’t dwell on giving yourself a hard time for being a procrastinator or procrastinating in the past (on some occasions, this may have led you to lose work or feel you didn’t do the best you could give the time you finally assigned to the project). Self-forgiveness has been shown to help you feel more positive about yourself and reduce the likelihood of future procrastination.

Commit to the task at hand

I am terrible at this as I always focus on everything I have to do rather than what I need at time. Write down what you need to do and a time scale for doing them. Be realistic about this, and if you organise yourself enough in advance, it’s easier to set goals you know you will be able to achieve in the timescale required.

Reward yourself

When you assign yourself a task, promise yourself a reward for completing it. I know this sounds a bit naff, but I actually find it quite useful to do this, and my reward is usually a stroll out to grab a coffee. It actually feels so good to know I can grab that coffee with a sense of accomplishment and not feeling guilty and anxious that I should be working on something.

Create a network

Create a network of other freelancers that can help motivate you. Now, this can go the other way, so choose this group carefully – I have spent hours in the day on the phone with other procrastinators stressing about what we should be doing!

Shift the easy stuff

Get the straightforward stuff off your desk as soon as it comes in – I get asked all the time to contribute to articles or give quotes. Nowadays, I try to get it off my desk as soon as it comes in rather than leave it all to build up.

Change the narrative

Stop saying I “”need to”” or “”have to”” as this can leave you feeling disempowered. I have also found this a quick way to self-sabotage with my work as I just leave it right to the last minute or miss deadlines. Think in your head that “”I choose to”” which helps you feel more in control of your projects – you work for yourself, so it is your choice what you do as the expert.

On this note…. I know we all need to make money. Still, sometimes it’s better to let a job go if you know it’s going to be a nightmare or use some of the cash to get another nutritionist to do it for you.

Avoid distraction

If I have a crucial deadline, I leave my phone in another room on silent so I don’t fall down the social media rabbit hole or get tempted to pick up a social call. I also close down the email on my computer. Honestly, you don’t need to be available every hour of the day!!!!!

Do the shit stuff first!

On a big project, Always prioritise the things you dread – it always feels good to get this off your desk.

Hope this is useful!

What I have learned as a freelance nutritionist

11Sep30th September 2021 By Rob Hobson

What have I learned as a freelance nutritionist?

These are my learnings as a freelance nutritionist. I started studying nutrition in 2003 at the ripe old age of 25 after years of trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. So, my first bit of advice is that it takes some people a little longer to figure out what to do. Once you find your passion, you will find your drive to succeed in whatever you put your mind to.

After completing my degree, I fancied learning more about public health, which interested me most in my course. Despite the financial challenges, I decided to do a master’s degree on the topic as I knew I would never do it if I didn’t strike while the iron was hot. I worked my socks off and took out a bank loan to cover the substantial fees, then worked five nights a week in a restaurant to support myself. Hilariously, I remember the tutors on the induction week saying it wasn’t possible to work and study this course at the same time – a few hours after that lecture I put on my apron ready for work! I have always been a believer in doing whatever you have to do to achieve your goals – some of us just ain’t that privileged! After this, I continued to work in hospitality and volunteered at various charities and NGOs focused on nutrition.

I got a lucky break and found a job with a small tech company that developed software that helped schools, care homes and hospitals analyse their menu plans. Being part of a small company, I had to develop software and pitch the software to local authorities throughout the UK as well as talking at events and delivering training sessions. After several years doing this, I was given voluntary redundancy, which allowed me to set up on my own as a freelance nutritionist.

After paying for a website to be built and buying myself a new laptop and various bits of software, I got myself up and running. I contacted everyone I had worked with in my previous company and got work. At the same time, I also set up a small consultancy on the side called HOPE which was Helping Older People to Eat Well. I worked with many care home groups delivering training focused on older people and dementia through this consultancy. I also started to contact personal trainers and nutrition and wellness companies to offer my services while also building my social media profile on Twitter and Instagram. I also bagged a part-time position as head of nutrition with a leading supplement brand called Healthspan.

My position at Healthspan is very media-focused, working with the press office, which has helped me build my profile further in the media. At this time, I was also introduced to Lily Simpson by a contact and worked with her to help develop her business called The Detox Kitchen working on the food and menu planning side of things. Together we wrote a book called The Detox Kitchen Bible, published by Bloomsbury which has since been a very successful book sold in many languages around the world.

This gave me the platform I needed to get more work in this industry. I have since worked around the globe with many wellness brands, retreats, celebrities, and other high-end clients. Further to this, I also followed another interest of mine which is sleep. I wrote another book called The Art of Sleeping which has also been successful and sold worldwide in many different languages. What I love most about being a freelance nutritionist is that I am always learning as I have to cover so many different areas of nutrition in my work.

It all sounds very glamorous on paper, but I still have to work incredibly hard to make ends meet as a freelancer. I still worry all the time about where the next bit of work is going to come from and to be honest even the best of us are always trying to figure things out.

So, what have I learned, and what are my top tips for being a successful freelance nutritionist?

Here goes (in no particular order) and apologies as this blog appears to have become quite epic so you might want to make yourself a nice cup of tea at this point as you could be here for a while!

Set up

This is where the initial costs are involved. You need a website and it doesn’t need to be fancy to begin with. I did my first website myself then got someone else to do one for me when I had a little more money coming in. Think carefully about what you want to include on your site from the start.

The bare necessities will include a home page and then various pages explaining your services and obviously a contact page with a link to your email. I have a blog which to be honest is more for my own benefit than anything else as I can make them downloadable and use them as factsheets or direct people to them on social media. A place to store recipes is nice if that’s your thing and you may want to include a page to showcase any writing or other media work you have done. Make sure there are links on your site to all your social media.

Make sure you have control of the back end so that you can add stuff to your site easily – my website is built in Word Press. I have someone that hosts the server and also helps with the housekeeping which includes updates to the various bits and bobs (as you can see I have no clue what actually goes on in this department!).

Also, get some business cards made up and remember to keep them on you at all times as you never know who you are going to bump into. I have found the most cost effective place is Moo.com.

Join the AFN

As nutritionists you should join the Association for Nutrition. It’s a faff getting your portfolio together but you need to support this charity as they have your back. You have worked so hard to train in your qualification and this charity helps raise awareness of properly trained nutritionists. Without this type of backing and support anyone can call themselves a nutritionist even those that have done a weekend course on the topic so get with the program and be sure to mention them when you can so people understand who they can use as a trusted source in our industry.

Find your vibe

This is a really tricky one especially as you start out and look for work in many different areas. I have ended up working in many different areas labelling myself as a consultant and a lot of my work is media based (I also cover the topic of sleep) and my work has always included a huge food/recipe element.

However, I know many very successful nutritionists who have focused in on one particular area which could be weight management or gut health for example. While this may make it more difficult at first as you try to get experience it can make it easier in the long run as you build your profile as an expert in your chosen field. Becoming a trusted voice in one area can also make it easier to focus on things like your social media or give you a platform to pitch book ideas to publishers or collaborate with health and wellness brands as well as getting involved in expert working groups centred around your chosen specialism.

Get to grips with some of the basics

There are a few good skills you should try and get a grip on when starting out and many of these I still use on a day to day basis. Invest in a recipe analysis program as I always get asked to analyse recipes or menu plans and while this work is a little dull the information is useful to include when writing about nutrition and dealing with private clients. I use Nutritics mostly because its web-based.

Keep a note of foods that are high in one or other nutrients. I know this sounds a little rudimentary but I can’t tell you how many times I have to write about something and refer to foods rich in one or other nutrient. On this point it’s also useful to understand the health benefits of foods, nutrients and key conditions where food has been shown to play a role (e.g. fibre reducing cholesterol). I actually have spreadsheets now with all this stuff on as a quick reference and I organise them in my computer files by topic – it saves me loads of time.

It is also useful to develop your writing skills and learn how to translate the science into something everyone will understand. You should also try to include practical advice where possible as this is most useful thing to most people such as what to cook and how to cook it or include more of it in your diet. I have written tons of stuff in the media as well as copy for websites or PR campaigns. You need to understand your audience but at whatever level try to include references to anything science-related you refer to as this is the easiest way to cover your back should anyone question your opinions. Writing on your blog is a good way to get practice.

Develop a good understanding of public health nutrition. I know it’s not particularly glamorous but it is the grass roots of what is going on in the world to help keep the nation healthy and it provides perspective that can keep you grounded. Honestly, this to me is the most fascinating aspect of nutrition!

I know I work with companies that provide supplements and other such products but I try to get them to stick to the science and always give them the perspective of the population as a whole rather than just the worried well. It does leave me little patience with some clients but at the same time you can’t bite the hand that feeds you so you have to find a balance which is why you have to turn some work down from time to time.

Keep up to date with key nutrition papers and nutrition guidelines so you always have your finger on the pulse. The NDNS survey is a good one to keep track of as this has tons of information as to what the nations diet looks like. The EFSA nutrition and health claims are also good to familiarise yourself with if you are working with food companies. I also keep reports to hand from charities like the British Heart Foundation and I also find factsheets from resources such as the British Dietetic Foundation useful to keep as a reference. Also good to keep abreast of what is trending in the world of health and wellness. On this point…. Don’t get sucked into what the media says… You are scientifically trained in nutrition so use this skill to try and see the wood for the trees!

I also have loads of templates to hand that I have created in powerpoint and other programs to give me a quick way to create new presentations, lectures and reports. I also think it’s a really useful skill to learn how to put together an interesting presentation that isn’t “death by powerpoint”. I know you learn this stuff at uni but it took me ages to understand that I could use a picture or other interesting visual in place of endless bullet points. Honestly, there is nothing worse than presenting something to a sea of bored faces! Don’t be shy to let your personality shine through – I use all sorts of funny gifs and video links as I don’t like to take myself too seriously but of course you still need to remain professional and what you choose to use must be sensitive to the topic in hand.

Get familiar with programs like Canva as it is a really easy way to create things like infographics which you can use in your writing or with clients – you can also create some really nice content for your social media with this program.

Last one….I am really annoying in that I love to pick up the phone and talk to people. This gets things done in half the time and talking to someone is a better way to build working relationships than always corresponding via email.

Social media

Mmmmm, I hate it, but it is something you just have to do. Social media has evolved so much since I started out, and to be honest, I tend to focus mainly on Instagram. I dip in and out of instagram posting pictures and writing content in the feed and do some videos. These days the video content gets much more attention than just pictures and text. Posting on stories is also an easier option and always seems to get more views.

You will ask yourself questions such as “what do I post”, “how do I get more followers”, bla bla bla. Don’t stress yourself out and don’t make this the main focus of how you think you will get work. It’s a nice platform but I have come to realise that I can’t compete with those in the wellness industry with 10’s if not 100’s of thousands of followers. I have a moderately OK number of followers, enough to allow me to do what I want to do.

I hate that the number of followers you have somehow defines your worth to some people as a nutritionist especially for me given my qualification and years of experience, but this is the way of the world! Remember that this is just one way to promote yourself for work but it’s not the only one and to be brutally honest you can spend hours every day on Instagram but it is unlikely to significantly improve your chances of getting work.

Put plenty of more valuable time into using your imagination and follow your passion. Get out there and meet people face to face even if this means doing stuff for free to start with and contact people you have a genuine interest in working with

As a 43-year old, I refuse to film gimmicky videos of myself trying to be funny – there is a limit to what I am prepared to do to get work! I would rather use these platforms to highlight stuff about nutrition I am genuinely interested in.

Structure your day

It’s lovely working at home but it’s easy for things to go awry if you have no structure to your day. I don’t work 9-5 as I am an early riser to prefer to start when I get up at around 6am. I hit the gym or go to yoga early to get out of the house then I work through to about 3pm on a usual day at home. I start by answering emails then spend some time going through the news and various websites to see whats going on and if there is anything new and interesting in the world if nutrition (good stuff to post on social media especially Linkedin). After that its about dividing my time between various bits of work I need to get done for clients and prioritising to (try) and meet deadlines.

I always set time aside to think about how I can get more work. This bit is always a bit painful so I tend to set about half a day week to focus on it. I also set a little time aside every day to do some social stuff although I have to admit my interest in this goes in waves!

If its quiet and you have done everything you need to get done then don’t feel guilty about enjoying your free time. I waste a lot of time when its quiet freaking out about work instead of using these periods to do other interesting stuff – something I regret when it gets busy again. You can also use this time to focus on any reading or watching podcasts/instagram lives/webinars on things that interest you in your field. Also spend some time looking for events you can attend as these are good places to meet people. Try a mix of events – some are nutrition focused and some of these offer CPD points but look at wellness and fitness events as these are good places to meet people. Eventbrite has lots of things going on (and don’t forget your business cards!)

Linkedin

This is my most valuable source of work. I hate talking about myself or blowing my own trumpet, but you just have to do it here and post everything you are doing or have done. This is where people look for professionals, and they need to see what you’re up to, so don’t be shy. Voice your opinions on anything you have come across as potential employers love to see this and it shows you are passionate about what you do. Also, share anything you have done in the media or achievements at work.

Know when to refuse work

I have really struggled with this over the years, but if you feel you are jeopardising your professional profile and if it just doesn’t feel quite right, then just say no. It’s so tempting some times when a company is offering you lots of money but honestly in the long run it’s just not worth it.

Take control

Again, I have struggled with this. Be mindful of where your work is placed, and always get a copy of anything you have written sent to you to be approved. You can charge for quotes and copy but make sure there is a timescale on this. The information you provide for a campaign should not really be rehashed and used by companies in perpetuity. It just dilutes your worth to future clients. It is often quite helpful to have a freelance contract you can give to the client to agree to your terms and conditions.

Rates

This is the biggest challenge as a freelancer. The problem is that there is no recognised fee structure for a nutritionist. I have a set day rate and costs for other things such as quotes or radio days, but these all end up being negotiable. I weigh up the cost of future work with a brand or company, and I reduce my costs if they offer a retainer. I am happy to do lots of stuff for free if it provides a reasonable quid pro quo which may mean a feature in a leading magazine or quote to help maintain my profile and build relationships with health journalists and PR agencies.

Socialising

There is no point in going freelance if you’re unwilling to get yourself out there and meet people, as this is how you get yourself known. As your career progresses, you may have to do less of this as people start to contact you based on referrals, but you have to put the hard work in at the start.

Create a media pack

Suppose you want to work in the media. In that case, you need a media pack that includes a biography and examples of what you have done alongside a structure of fees. A showreel is also helpful to show what you have done on screen.

Control the narrative

This is one of the most important things to help maintain your integrity as a nutritionist. You’re the expert, and you are employed to provide your expert opinion, so if you disagree with what a client wants you to do, then walk away. On the whole, you can generally find a compromise to help companies deliver the messages they need to promote their products or services. Always stick to your guns when it comes to science and things such as health claims – I have learned the hard way with some clients and been pulled up on some bits of work or something I have said in the media.

Deadlines

I have to admit that I am totally hopeless when it comes to deadlines, but you need to keep clients in the loop if you cannot deliver on time. This is quite important if you want them to come back to you with more work.

Housekeeping

It’s important to keep on top of invoicing and bookkeeping and things such as tax and VAT. If you can’t do it yourself, then employ someone to do it for you.

Public speaking

It took me ages to build up the confidence to do this, but years of training, delivering talks, and cooking demos at events have made me much more confident. This stuff also gives you the confidence to record videos on social media showcasing what you do. If you are going to work as a freelance nutritionist, you need to get to grips with this skill. I don’t have many tips to offer here but one thing that has always helped me is to socialise with people during the coffees beforehand as you get to meet people in the audience and this can offer a little familiarity and make you more comfortable. My default when I feel nervous or uncomfortable is humour so I always try to add a little humility to my presentations and always relate them where I can to real life experiences or something the audience can relate to.

Diversity

You need to diversify all the time as a freelance nutritionist in order to increase your worth and open up new opportunities. I am just finishing off a post-grad diploma in sports nutrition as this is an area I fancy doing more work in.

Imposter syndrome

All freelance nutritionists succumbs to this at some point when you feel you are crap at your job and that everyone is doing better than you. Stay confident in everything you are doing and continually refer to the scientific literature to support your opinions and work.

Focus on your own thing and try not to compare yourself to what other people are doing. Instagram is a real bugger for this but always remember that people tend to only post the good stuff. My feed is full of lovely experiences showing fancy press trips or videos with clients, but this is just a snapshot of what is going on at that point in time. I’m not going to post a video of me fretting about where the next bit of work will come from or that I am worried about how my age may prevent me from getting a job in the future!

Explore all avenues of work

I always try to think outside the box as a freelance nutritionist and get involved with new start-up companies I believe may have a chance of doing well. Sometimes they feel like they have little to do with nutrition, but I will always give things a go and offer ways I think I can help.

Private clients

I dip in and out of this as a freelance nutritionist, and one of the reasons I have been doing my course in sports nutrition is because this is an area I feel I would be happy to help people with. I’ll be frank in saying I have very little interest in weight loss and don’t feel qualified to help people with specific health conditions. I like sports nutrition because it’s about performance. Those you deal with are fully committed to acting on your advice. My other bit of advice here is that you have to work out of a practice or somewhere you can rent a room for this to work financially. Traveling here, there, and everywhere to see clients in their homes is not economically viable in most cases.

Offer your services for the greater good.

I go through periods of getting a little bored with what I am doing, so I offer help to charities or other groups. I have delivered talks and cooking sessions to charity organisations and care homes, which I find exciting and inspiring. I have also been working with a para-athlete through my course, which has also been helping me to build my confidence in working with athletes on a one-to-one basis. It’s an excellent way to fill the time when you are quiet and learn new skills and, of course, forging new working relationships.

Create a network

As a freelance nutritionist it’s important to make contact with other people in your field. Freelancing can be lonely, and it’s great to have people to talk to in your field for advice on all work areas. I always have time for anyone who wants to get in touch to talk about anything they are working on. There is plenty of work to go around and ditch the idea that we are in some way all in competition with one another. I hate to say that sometimes I get emails from new nutritionists looking for advice but it can slip my mind to get back and respond. Don’t ever be shy to get in touch with people for help or advice.

Why did healthy eating get so complicated?

25Oct30th October 2020 By Rob Hobson

Why has eating well become such as minefield?

Healthy eating has become a tricky little fellow over the years, but the basic messaging has not changed over the last few decades. Eat more fruit and vegetables, choose wholegrain foods, choose low fat dairy foods, eat oily fish and opt for lean proteins are a few of the key messages.

Alongside this we are advised to eat less sugar and processed foods while also paying attention to the portion size of foods we choose to eat. If you stick by these basic concepts, then you are likely to be eating in a way that will benefit your health and reduce the risk of disease.

“Only 30% of adults in the UK eat 5-a-day and only 4% of women and 9% of men achieve the recommended 30g of fibre daily according the NDNS survey”

Despite this simple messaging the majority of the population still don’t manage to eat a healthy balanced diet and are confused about what to eat. There are also many other factors which influence food choice such as those relating to society, lifestyle, psychology, environment, food access and finances.

How has the food industry and modern culture impacted on food choice?

These basic healthy eating messages have been around long enough for most people to understand what a healthy plate of food looks like while also recognising that a piece of fruit or yoghurt is a better option than a mars bar if you fancy a snack. However, the way food is marketed and how health is interpreted in the media have likely caused some confusion.

The obesogenic environment

The obesogenic environment does not make it easy for people to make healthy food choices. This concept was fist coined in the 1990’s as a hypothesis to help explain the obesity pandemic.

“The obesogenic environment is defined by the influence that the surroundings, opportunities or conditions have on promoting obesity on individuals or populations”

In 2007 the Government’s Foresight report was published and one of the highlights was the monumentally complex obesity system map. This map illustrates the many factors that contribute to energy balance including psychology, food production, food consumption, physiology, physical activity and physical activity environments (1).

Yes, the crux of weight gain is eating less and moving more but you only have to take a look at this diagram to appreciate the many complexities involved in order for people to achieve this ideal (see below).

The complexities of this diagram highlight the fact that we all need to work together to help improve the health of the nation. While the food industry has become much more transparent in their marketing of foods which is driven by legislation around health claims and food labelling, supermarkets and other high street outlets are still offering promotions on unhealthy foods more than they are healthy food options.

How have our eating patterns and habits changed?

Modern eating habits have changed and one the most significant is our penchant for snacking. In part this has been driven by the food industry and an ever-growing number of snacks made available to us. Many of these snacks are marketed as being healthy or having a health benefit which implies, they should be a part of our daily diet.

“More than two thirds of people snack at least once a day according to Mintel who also predict that snacking will become more pertinent post COVID-19″

However, the reality is that snacking is only beneficial when we need more energy throughout the day to match our requirements. Outside of this they are simply an opportunity to eat more than we need.

Snacking has also been driven by working hours and lifestyle. Both these factors can influence our ability to eat at set hours across the day and can also result in longer periods of time between meals. In such instances, healthy snacking may prove useful to maintaining energy levels and overall nutritional intake.

How has the media influenced eating habits and perceptions of nutrition?

The growing interest in nutrition over the last couple of decades has led to an increase in scientific reporting in the media. Over this time period we have also seen countless books on the topic which include those offering many different ways to lose weight as well as those questioning traditional thinking around nutrition.

In combination these two factors have contributed to skewing basic health messaging and a good example is the way in which dairy and gluten-free eating is now considered by many to be a healthier way to eat when in fact they should still be considered special diets reserved for those with food intolerances or conditions such as coeliac disease.

“Only 5% of the UK population are thought to suffer any degree of lactose maldigestion and 1% are thought to suffer with coeliac disease. It has been estimated that 1-2% have a diagnosed food allergy”

This is not really a major problem as there is no real harm in omitting these foods as long as you understand how to adjust your diet to make up for any nutritional shortfalls.

The bigger issue is that in light of this foods have started to become labelled as ‘bad’ for us when in fact they are still healthy components of a balanced diet.

Media reporting of new research is often misleading as there is usually a bias towards positive findings. However, on closer inspection the results are often confounded by various limitations of the research which might include sample size or the type of study and its strength (clinical trials are more reliable that rat studies).

Then there is the fact that the journalist has simply not understood or inaccurately reported the findings (although to be fair many experienced health journalists will take their lead from experts in the field). I love to read the ‘Behind the Headlines’ section of NHS website (2) which brilliantly discusses some of the more popular scientific findings reported in the press.

What about social media?

Unlike other areas of health, people are surprisingly willing to take dietary advice from unqualified influencers or personal trainers with a hot bod and large social media following.

A survey carried out in 2017 on behalf of the British Dietetic Society showed that 58% of people would trust diet and nutrition advice given to them by their personal trainer or fitness instructor. Amongst young people, 41% said they would trust the advice given out by a healthy eating blogger which highlights the importance for more qualified professionals to have a greater voice on social media platforms (3).

“The UK public do not know who to trust for dietary advice according to research carried out by the British Dietetic Association“

Celebrities are also highly influential when it comes to food choice and as such, they are frequently used to support the sale of supplements and diet regimes.

These people may know a little about nutrition but where the expert excels is in taking a science-based approach to their practice which means they don’t offer advice based on personal experience or opinions. Why would you take advice from someone not qualified to do so? Would you let your PT take a tooth out? Probably not.

Got a dodgy gut? Bloated? Constipated? Someone unqualified told you to eat lots of fibre? Let’s see how that pans out if what you actually have is IBS or even worse coeliac disease. Trying to lose weight? Someone told you to cut out carbs and eat a shed load of fat in your diet? Did they ask you if you had a family history of heart disease or whether you were aware of your cholesterol levels? You get my drift.

What about the trailblazers?

These are the guys who set out to challenge traditional thinking around nutrition. Books and articles that attempt to question traditional thinking around nutrition can often cause a lot of confusion. I personally find this literature massively interesting, but I am qualified enough to read with a degree of objectivity and an understanding of the science.

Often these books are biased in favour of their topic and without this training and experience in nutrition and research it’s really easy to believe everything you read without question. Also, if you read too many of these books, they can start to become a little contradictory making it tricky to see the woods for the trees.

A good example here is the debate around saturated fat in the diet which was sparked by findings of a landmark study in 2014 which found no significant evidence that saturated fat increased the risk of heart disease (4).

The study caused a lot of controversy amongst leading researchers in the field of nutrition who questioned the data analysis. Subsequently a report in 2019 by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) found no reason to change the current advice around saturated fat intake (5).

In the meantime, messaging around saturated fat and fat in general became confused which potentially left many people thinking it was OK to eat lots of saturated fat in their diet. The problem with this type of reporting in the media is that the findings are open to interpretation by the public which can prove detrimental to their health. The other issue with this type of reporting is that people take the initial findings on board pretty quickly which makes it more difficult to reset the message.

As far as this research was concerned. Wholefoods high in saturated fat include full fat dairy and fatty cuts of meat which can form part of a healthy balanced diet but should still be eaten in moderation given their high energy content which can contribute to weight gain (a risk factor for heart disease).

However, other sources of saturated fat include convenience foods often loaded with salt and sugar which in themselves can increase the risk of heart disease. Also, eating lots of red meat and processed meat (often high in saturated fat) is not a healthy option given their association with the increased risk of colorectal cancer.

What about superfoods?

The term ‘superfoods’ was thought up in the nineties. A handful of people are said to have coined the term including the alternative medical practitioner Michael Van Straten who wrote a book called superfoods. The idea behind the term is that certain foods have a higher nutritional value deeming them more beneficial for health and well-being. However, the term has little significance when talking about overall diet.

“There is no official definition of a superfood and the EU has banned the use of the word on product packaging unless the claim is backed up by convincing research”

This term also highlights the attention placed on individual foods in the media based on their supposed ability to prevent disease. Research into the effects of individual foods on health are very tricky to carry out. Our diets are hugely complex and it’s difficult to entangle the effect of one particular food or compound from all the others we consume.

Much of this research is carried out in a lab or on animals which can’t be translated to humans. Often this type of research also involves a very concentrated amount of a compound or large amount of food in a form which is not viably consumed as a whole food in reality. A good example is the research surrounding beetroot and blood pressure which has used both supplements and juices which represent a huge amount more than an 80g serving of the whole vegetable (6).

While this research is interesting it has to be taken with a pinch of salt. While blueberries may have been shown to reduce the risk of cancer it doesn’t mean eating a bowl everyday will prevent you from getting cancer. Besides the fact that the research is not strong enough to prove cause and effect there are many other dietary and lifestyle factors that contribute to an increased risk of the disease.

Can food really heal?

The food you eat provides you with macronutrients which are used for energy (carbohydrates and fats) and the growth and repair of tissues in the body (protein). We also glean micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) from foods which are needed for all bodily processes.

If we don’t get enough of any of these nutrients in our diet, then there may be health consequences such as a lack of iron which can cause anaemia. In terms of healing then these deficiencies and the symptoms that come with them can be corrected by eating more of the foods which contain one or another nutrient in question.

In some cases, certain foods have been shown to be beneficial for specific health conditions. A good example is high cholesterol which can benefit from increasing the amount of fibre in the diet as well as other specific foods such as oats (7).

So, what’s the take home message?

The thing to remember here is that nutritional science is relatively new and as such ever evolving so what you read at one point in time could be completely different at another.

People love the idea of a quick fix or miracle cure, but the reality is that there is no such thing when it comes to health. Diet has a hugely significant role to play in the prevention of disease and overall health but it’s the balance, moderation and consistency of our diet overall that has the greatest impact.

Getting back to the basics of healthy eating is your best bet and it also helps you to find a baseline which is a useful starting point for nutritionists and dietitians how may adapt you diet to help with a diet-related condition.

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