Health Psychology : a Textbook

Diet and illness onset

Diet effects health through an individual’s weight in terms of the development of eating

disorders or obesity. Eating disorders are linked to physical problems such as heart

irregularities, heart attacks, stunted growth, osteoporosis and reproduction. Obesity is

linked to diabetes, heart disease and some forms of cancer (see Chapter 15). In addition,

some research suggests a direct link between diet and illnesses such as heart disease,

cancer and diabetes (see Chapters 14 and 15). Much research has addressed the role of

diet in health and although at times controversial, studies suggest that foods such as

fruits and vegetables, oily fish and oat fibre can be protective whilst salt and saturated fats

can facilitate poor health.

Diet and treating illness

Diet also has a role to play in treating illness once diagnosed. Obese patients are mainly

managed through dietary based interventions (see Chapter 15). Patients diagnosed with

angina, heart disease or following a heart attack are also recommended to change their

lifestyle with particular emphasis on stopping smoking, increasing their physical activity

and adopting a healthy diet (see Chapter 15). Dietary change is also central to the

management of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. At times this aims to produce weight

Fig. 6-1 The balance of good health

EATING BEHAVIOUR 135