O nutritional terrorism is a term used to describe the categorization of foods only by their nutritional function and caloric amount. Spread mainly by the media and social networks, this practice stimulates fear in people through of food, making the act of eating guilty and stressful, in addition to encouraging the adoption of diets restrictive. It can also lead to the development of eating disorders such as bulimia, anorexia and binge eating.
The search for a healthy diet is beyond this simplistic approach. Food, in addition to being a source of nutrition, also has social and cultural relevance. Thus, adopting a balanced diet involves considering the individual context of each organism and exploring food as a whole, aiming at physical and mental well-being.
Read too: Ultra-processed foods — what they are, why we should avoid them
Topics of this article
- 1 - Summary on nutritional terrorism
- 2 - What is nutritional terrorism?
- 3 - Examples of nutritional terrorism and its risks
- 4 - Nutritional terrorism x balanced diet
- 5 - What are the consequences of nutritional terrorism for health?
- 6 - Care to avoid nutritional terrorism
Summary on nutritional terrorism
- Nutritional terrorism seeks to explain a phenomenon linked to the fear generated in people through the consumption of certain foods, categorized as bad for health.
- This categorization disregards people's physiological, genetic, cultural, social and economic factors.
- Examples of nutritional terrorism include the demonization of eggs, gluten, fat and milk.
- Nutritional terrorism can encourage the development of eating disorders.
- The search for a balanced diet includes considering the complete food within the context of each organism.
- Critically analyze food-related information on social networks and the media, in addition to to prevent the spread of false information, helps to minimize the impact of terrorism nutritional.
What is nutritional terrorism?
The concept of nutritional terrorism, explored by researcher Gyorgy Scrinis in the 2000s, aims to explain the phenomenon that simplifies food solely according to with its nutritional function and caloric amount, categorizing it in a binary way as: good or bad, allowed or prohibited, healthy or unhealthy.
Nutritional terrorism is also linked to the idea of “nutritionism” (a contraction of “nutritional reductionism”), which seeks to focus food on an isolated nutrient, disregarding the interaction with others and on food as a all. The choice of the term "terrorism" is directly linked to panicdisseminated among the population due to the propagation of myths related to food and the definition arbitrary definition of what constitutes an adequate diet, as well as by the dissemination of dietary regimes restrictive.
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Much of this information is conveyed by the media and social networks., lacking any scientific basis and disregarding the social and biological singularities of individuals, which directly influence their dietary decisions. In addition, this practice neglects the intrinsic value of food as a source of pleasure and an opportunity for socialization, turning eating into a cycle of guilt and fear.
See too: Can kids really go on diets?
Examples of nutritional terrorism and its risks
In recent decades, various foods have been and have been the target of nutritional terrorism.
Some of the main examples are:
- The egg, the fat, foods containing gluten, and the milk: when choosing such foods as "villains", the media also seeks to present alternatives and possible substitutes, often not ideal, which may result in overload for the body or even malnutrition.
- Asearch for a substitute for wheat flour: the gluten present in wheat flour has been replaced by options such as rice flour, considered a healthier alternative. However, rice flour is just as refined and processed as wheat flour. Additionally, this option is less accessible to the majority of the population.
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Restrictive diets: in addition to pointing to individual foods as the culprits, the nutritional terrorism movement propagates diets that restrict food groups or eliminate meals, often in pursuit of short-term weight loss results term. Among the most common restrictive diets, are included:
- Intermittent fasting: it involves alternating between periods of fasting and eating, whether for hours or days.
- Ketogenic Diet: characterized by an eating plan high in fat and low in carbohydrates.
- Diet low carb: aims to significantly reduce carbohydrate intake by increasing the ratio of proteins and fats.
- Paleolithic Diet: based on the premise of consuming foods similar to those available to our ancestors in the Paleolithic Era, excluding grains, dairy and processed foods from the eating plan.
It is important to highlight that these approaches may have negative health implications and they should never be adopted without the recommendations of qualified health professionals, in a conscious and informed way.
Nutritional terrorism x balanced diet
In a balanced diet approach, the intention is not to see food in a simplistic way, reducing it to a single nutrient source or labeling it as a villain. É It is essential to consider the complete context of the food as part of the individual meal plan.
The pursuit of healthy eating encompasses a set of strategies that guide us in making food decisions, aiming at both physical and mental well-being. That way, a balanced diet is not limited only to the amount of nutrients consumed and its functions in the organism, it also covers our pleasure in eating, the affective memories and the cultural aspects that permeate our environment.
Diets may be necessary in certain situations and be part of a balanced diet. Some are essential for individuals with specific allergies to certain foods or to regulate functions in the body that are out of balance. Nonetheless, it is important that they are adopted under the guidance of a health professional qualified as a nutritionist.
Know more: What causes cow's milk protein allergy?
What are the health consequences of nutritional terrorism?
Nutritional terrorism can lead to a series of negative impacts on people's relationship with food. One of the most obvious is the development of eating disorders such as bulimia, the anorexia It is the food compulsion. In addition, it is common for many to associate the idea of “being healthy” exclusively with the weight reflected on the scale.
The adoption of restrictive diets can also trigger long-term adverse effects on the body, as diabetes and heart disease, since it deprives the individual of the intake of all the nutrients necessary to maintain health.
this phenomenon it also neglects the social and cultural dimensions intrinsic to food. Food plays a fundamental role in human culture and is a way for socialization between individuals. In this sense, the way we relate to food has implications not only for our physical and mental health, but also for our interaction in society.
The impacts resulting from nutritional terrorism also disregard economic factors. The egg, for example, a protein present in the dishes of the majority of the Brazilian population, was often the target of nutritional terrorism, culminating in feelings of guilt related to choices food. This phenomenon also chooses fashionable foods and “perfect” substitutes for others, adding a high nutritional value to them. These substitutes are often expensive and inaccessible to the majority of the population.. Some examples include pink Himalayan salt and coconut oil.
Nutritional terrorism can also have an impact on the treatment of diseases, as it chooses foods that can help cure certain illnesses, such as cancer. In addition to medicalizing food, this information is passed on in a sensationalist and may delay adoption of proven effective medical techniques.
Care to avoid nutritional terrorism
To minimize the impact and spread of nutritional terrorism and pursue a healthy relationship with food, it is important to develop a critical approach to evaluate information about nutrition disseminated both in the media and on social networks. Avoiding the dissemination of concepts related to nutritional terrorism also helps to curb this phenomenon.
In addition, in the search for answers, it is essential to search for guidance from healthcare professionals qualified in relation to nutritional information (nutritionists, for example), in order to avoid adopting restrictive diets that may have negative consequences for health.
it is also important be aware that meal plans are developed according to individual needs. Thus, a suggested diet for a person is not necessarily the best choice to meet the nutritional demands of another and, therefore, should not be adopted without the evaluation of a health professional. health.
Sources
BALDISSERA, O. Beware of nutritional terrorism. In:PostPucPRDigital. 2022. Available in: https://posdigital.pucpr.br/blog/terrorismo-nutricional.
BRAZIL. Food guide for the Brazilian population. Ministry of Health, Secretariat of Health Care, Department of Primary Care. 2 ed. Brasília: Ministry of Health, 2014. 156 p.
USP JOURNAL. Restrictive diets cause health damage and weight gain in the long term. In:USP Journal. Available in: https://jornal.usp.br/ciencias/ciencias-da-saude/dietas-restritivas-causam-prejuizo-a-saude-e-ganho-de-peso-em-longo-prazo/.
SCRINIS, G. Nutritionism: the science and politics of nutrition counseling. Brazil: Editora Elefante, 2021. 468 p.
Nutritional TERRORISM. Directed by: Rafael Figueiredo. Production: Christovão Paiva. Screenplay: Marcela Morato. Rio de Janeiro: Fiocruz Health Channel. 2017. 1 video, MPEG-4, (26min53s), son., color. (Connected in Health). Available in: https://www.arca.fiocruz.br/handle/icict/22827.
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