Can We Judge Health on Appearance?
by Chloe French, ANutr
Whilst social media offers many benefits, it undoubtedly has some negative aspects and one of those is that it places a high value on appearance. Just from viewing a single picture, people often make judgements about a person, including their wealth, background and even how healthy they are.
Given the rise of the online persona, it’s more important now than ever that we move away from the correlation between appearance and health and recognise that health is far more than meets the eye. Here I highlight some key health issues that can often go unnoticed from a simple picture.
Weight bias
Weight bias is essentially, a negative attitude to someone because of their body shape/size (1). This bias often comes from a preconceived idea of “health” and yet, our weight can not be directly linked to how healthy we are. Obesity is often associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes (2), yet many people are classified as obese but are metabolically healthy.
Conversely, we all know someone who doesn’t exercise and has a terrible diet but fits societies idea of a “healthy looking body”. Naturally slim people may not prioritise diet and exercise and this can mask the build-up of internal fat, which often results in negative health outcomes.
Diet quality and exercise levels are often better predictors of internal wellbeing than weight. Resistance training and cardiovascular activity are important for short and long-term health and yet cannot be accurately determined by BMI. In addition, diet quality not quantity is the predominant influence on our health.
We should focus on nourishing our body with nutritious foods rather than focusing on calories. We need to include whole foods, including sources of fibre, healthy fats and lean protein whilst reducing our consumption of ultra-processed foods high in unsaturated fat, salt and sugar. By creating sustainable healthy habits, we will nourish our body to maximise long-term health instead of just trying to eat our way to a “summer body”.
Micronutrient deficiencies
Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals that we consume in small quantities and deficiencies can go unnoticed for a long time, whilst having negative consequences on our development and functioning.
Deficiencies can present in anyone but tend to be more prevalent, such as pregnant women and children, due to dietary restrictions and an increased demand for certain micronutrients in these populations. This “hidden malnutrition” often leads to a range of health implications, and occurs when our diet fails to meet our nutritional requirements.
It is important to consume a varied diet and visit your GP or a Registered Nutritionist/ Dietitian if you think you may have a deficiency.
Mental health
Approximately, 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year, and this can often go unnoticed (3). Given the prevalence of mental ill health we need to encourage open conversations to reduce the stigma and normalise people’s experiences.
Mental illness is not visible to the eye however, the impact of someone experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression can be incredibly disabling and impacts on their everyday life. There are many social and work pressures that can add to our own vulnerabilities and securities but we should be accepting and kind to ourselves. Wellbeing consists of both mental and physical health and we need to prioritize both aspects.
These key areas have been identified to highlight the complexities of health that often go unnoticed. We should focus on our own health through a holistic approach so that we don’t feel an expectation to look a certain way, instead prioritising how we feel.
This includes spending time with friends and family, ensuring we spend enough time sleeping and relaxing and finally, nourishing our body with healthy food and gentle exercise. Appearance and aesthetics are not always a clear and accurate representation of health status and are often unhelpful not just to the individual, but everyone involved.
About the author:
Chloe French is a Registered Associate Nutritionist spreading her time between working as a freelance Nutritionist and researching the prevalence and severity of food allergies at the University of Manchester. Her aim is to make healthy eating both accessible and interesting. Chloe prioritzes making evidence-based research relevant to our every day life by educating, inspiring and providing tasty and nutritious recipes. This is important to improve our health, performance and energy levels (both mentally and physically).
References
Andreyeva T, Puhl RM, Brownell KD. Changes in perceived weight discrimination among Americans, 1995–1996 through 2004–2006. Obesity 2008;16(5):1129–34.
Carbone, S., Canada, J.M., Billingsley, H.E. et al. Obestiy paradox in cardiovascular disease: where do we stand? Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2019; 15: 89-100.
McManus, S., Meltzer, H., Brugha, T.S. et al., Adult psychiatric morbidity in England, 2007: results of a household survey. 2009. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care.