In our modern society, the act of eating has become much more than simply consuming nutrient-dense foods. We are all familiar with the language of food, a universal language that unites and nourishes us from the earliest moments of our lives. However, it is fascinating to note that this simple and fundamental reality of life has, with progress, become the cause of our well-being woes.
Indeed, as our waistlines continue to expand, our nutritional deficiencies are also becoming an ever-increasing burden of disease. A recent survey on the diet and nutrition of South Africans conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council revealed alarming figures. It emerged that 69% of obese adults lived in resource-poor households where food choices lacked essential nutrients. In addition, 30% of women of childbearing age suffer from iron deficiency, and more than half of the world’s population is deficient in vitamin D.
These statistics reflect a worrying reality: our relationship with food has become unbalanced, jeopardizing our physical health. Too often, we seek to soothe ourselves by consuming processed and nutrient-poor foods. Fast and cheap foods have become the norm, making it easier to resort to refined carbohydrates to soothe our anxieties, sometimes more easily than alcohol.
It is time to question the cultural norms that idealize unhealthy bodies, encouraging food choices that are detrimental to our health. The food and advertising industries are partly responsible for this drift, by promoting processed foods to the detriment of natural products that are beneficial for our health. It is high time to react and correct this disastrous trend.
Furthermore, the mental health crisis, affecting more than a third of South Africans in their lifetime, highlights the critical importance of restoring balance both physically and psychologically. Psychiatric medication, often associated with adverse metabolic effects, sometimes only compounds underlying issues related to diet and the environment.
It is also essential to consider the impact of endocrine disruptors on our health, as these chemicals can mimic our own hormones and disrupt our natural hormonal system. Their presence in our daily environment, through water, air, food and skin, raises concerns about their contribution to disorders such as attention deficit disorder, cancer, among others.
In the face of these complex challenges, it is imperative to rethink our relationship with diet, mental health and the environment. It is time to adopt a holistic and balanced approach to preserve our well-being and that of our planet. It is high time to put health at the heart of concerns, by redefining our food choices and our behaviors for a healthier and more sustainable future.