Does women’s health advice hinder rather than help?
Summary of story from Forbes, September, 17, 2011
Women in the US are still making poor lifestyle choices despite the health advice offered to them. The statistics make depressing reading.
Heart disease is still the no.1 killer of women in America, accounting for 25% of female deaths. Less than one third of women exercise regularly; one in five women over the age of 18 smoke; and 36% of women are medically obese.
Studies have shown that some types of health advice might actually be unhelpful. Rather than providing simple, straightforward guidance they actual demotivate and alienate.
Misleading advice that dark chocolate is ‘good’ for people often gets blown out of proportion in the press potentially drowning out valuable advice such as the beneficial effects of even small amounts of exercise.
Perhaps health promotion needs an overhaul starting with a paring down of information to include just the basics. Such advice would encourage being as active as possible, coupled with a largely plant-based diet.
Also having good support networks and getting involved, engaged and motivated with their community/job.
Fad diets and headline stealing advice simply make the problem worse. Keep it simple.
Tricky to stick to a mostly plant-based diet in areas with poor shopping provision or little income. And then the diet industry have a lot invested in telling women to follow whatever the latest fad diet is, I expect their multi billion dollar industry can make their voice heard with policy makers.