7
Dieting
Dieting is the most common consequence of body dissatisfaction for
women. Some men also diet as a means to change their body size and shape.
But dieting is not a simple behavior, and although dieters aim to eat less,
research indicates that this aim is not always achieved. This chapter focuses
on dieting behavior, and by placing it within its historical and social con-
text evaluates why body dissatisfaction results in dieting for many people.
The chapter then explores what dieting is and examines the consequences
of this behavior. In particular, it examines restraint theory, with its emphasis
on dieting as a cause of overeating. It then assesses the problems with this
perspective.
This chapter covers the following:
- Putting dieting in context
- The dieting industry
- What is dieting?
- Dieting and overeating
- The consequences of dieting
- Problems with restraint theory
Putting Dieting in Context
Many women and some men diet. For the majority this is the result of body
dissatisfaction and a determination to change both body size and shape.
People with a desire to change aspects of their bodies, however, have not
always dieted; some have bound their bodies, some have worn specially
designed clothes, and others have opted for more drastic surgical solutions.
To understand why body dissatisfaction translates into dieting it is necessary