While eating disorders are identified using diagnostic criteria from the DSM V, many individuals struggle with disordered eating. A 2018 study found that 58% of adolescent girls (aged 13-18) were engaging in practices in order to lose weight .

Efforts put in place to control weight can prompt physiological responses from the body. These adaptive mechanisms can lead to obsessive thoughts around food, perceived inability to control intake and a failure to maintain a lower weight.

The diet industry prompts people of all ages and genders to engage in disordered eating practices in the name of health. Sööma strongly believes that people do not need to get better at controlling their intake. Instead, our professionals will work with you to understand how diet culture has impacted your perception of eating and your body.

Practicing from at Health at Every Size Approach ⓒ, we believe in focusing on all aspects of health and wellness beyond weight. This doesn’t mean that individuals are always at their ideal body weight for health. Instead, we focus on body diversity and explore habits that can contribute to an individual’s mental, physical and emotional well-being.

Facts about dieting

  • One of the biggest indicators of weight is genetics (F*ck it Diet)
  • In a study conducted in the 1940s, men were put on a 1600 calorie diet to explore the effects of starvation. That caloric number is higher than the recommended calories for most diets today (Minnesota Starvation Study)
  • A weight focused paradigm to health is not only ineffective, but has been found to contribute to repeated cycles of weight loss and regain, increased preoccupation with food, reduced self-esteem and eating disorders
  • Obesity is associated with increased risk for chronic disease, but most epidemiological studies do not account for factors like fitness, activity, nutrient intake, socioeconomic status or weight cycling .
  • Dieting encourages controlling food intake through willpower and prompts a physiological response to overeat when food is available, leaving most dieters feeling guilt and shame for succumbing to ‘temptations’