An Integrated Model of Diet 277physical morbidity. In line with this, weight concern is more problematic
than healthy eating but is less problematic than eating disorders. This does
not mean that dieting does not have serious consequences, nor does it mean
that body dissatisfaction is not unpleasant. But the spectrum used reflects
an increase in clinical significance. Second, the spectrum reflects an increas-
ingly problematic model of food intake, with an increasingly important role
for the social context. Accordingly, the literature on healthy eating empha-
sizes health as the motivator, while the models of dieting and eating
disorders emphasize the importance of the meanings of food and size. The
spectrum is shown in figure 12.1.
The different areas of research and chapters of this book can be sum-
marized as follows. Healthy eating can be understood in terms of five food
groups and is important for promoting good health, and treating ill health,
after a diagnosis has been made. Much research shows that many people
do not eat a sufficiently healthy diet. The research on food choice has been
developed to try to understand why people eat what they eat. This research
includes three major overarching perspectives. First, a developmental per-
spective emphasizes the role of learning through exposure, social learning,
and associative learning. This literature emphasizes that although there are
some basic inherent food preferences, food choice is the result of rein-
forcement and association, and given the right environment food choice
can be modified and relearned. Second, a cognitive perspective emphasizes
an individual’s beliefs and suggests that these beliefs predict behavioral
Obesity
What is it?
Obesity treatmentEating disorders
What are they?
Treatment issuesWeight concern
Body dissatisfaction
DietingHealthy
eatingAn integrated
model of
dietFood
choiceMeaning of
foodMeaning of
sizeFigure 12.1 From healthy to disordered eating: A spectrum of diet.