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Question of the Month: Are Healthy Living Recommendations Failing?
Healthy behaviors are not very popular.
Looks like health initiatives broadcasting the virtues of cleaner living are falling on deaf ears. A study in the April issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, using data gleaned from 26,194 National Health and Examination Survey participants over a 12-year period, found that a mere 4.4%–6.3% of U.S. adults adhered to five key recommended healthful behaviors: diet, regular exercise, maintaining a normal body mass index, and avoiding cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol intake.
The data also showed that about 45%–48% of people engaged in two or fewer of the behaviors, meaning that not nearly enough individuals are trading in fast food for whole food. All this contributes to higher than necessary chronic disease rates and ballooning healthcare costs.
How many of your clients engage in most of these recommended health behaviors? What steps can health officials take to get more people to follow these healthy lifestyle habits? What do you think are the biggest hurdles people face when trying to stick to healthy habits like exercising more and eating more veggies? Send your answers to Sandy Todd Webster at [email protected]
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As an advocate for healthy living, it’s upsetting that people don’t take the initiative to make their lives better via proper nutrition and exercise. I have a small website that I try to showcase the benefits of diet and exercise, but I’ve learned that you can’t force people to “drink the Kool-aid.” And the more that I think about it, I don’t’ want to force people to live a certain way. If a person doesn’t want to live a better life, forcing them to diet and exercise will only lead to frustration for everybody. Proper nutrition and exercise are simple, but it’s not easy. Thanks for sharing the article.
The truth is, we can’t force anyone to do anything.
Early in my health/fitness career (in the 1980s!) I got frustrated when I gave a client advice they did not adhere to. I realized early on that shaming them or being frustrate with them for not “doing what they are supposed to” only eventually drove them away.
Now I offer each client unconditional positive support. It takes time to find what works for them, and I remind them that any self-care is going in a good direction. THEY have to OWN their journey. I cannot “fix” anyone, only support and guide them on their journey.
Teach your clients self-care and self-compassion. The more self-appreciation or self love we can cultivate, the more likely our life will improve.
He sido un apasionado por la vida saludable y tambien por la nutricion. Pero recuerdo que hace muchos años atras hubo un momento en que me decepcione de los resultados obtenidos por mis clientes, y miro hacia atras y veo que no tuve la suficiente madurez y sabiduria para reconocer la maxima de Epicteto que dice; hay cosas que podemos hacer y estan bajo nuestro control y otras cosas que no podemos hacer porque estan fuera de nuestro control, en suma hay que hacer nuestro trabajo y pasion y es entregar conocimientos y motivar a traves de la seduccion y sugerencias, pero entendiendo que cada persona es dueña de sus desiciones, y consecuencias. Entender esto es una arte y ciencia, y quedar feliz de haberlo intentado.
The doctors just want to push a drug on people rather than get to the root of the problem
Yes, but don’t entirely blame the doctors. The doctors go into medical school with a genuine desire to help people. But the medical schools and pharmaceutical companies are tied tightly and the med students learn what med school teaches them. Med students learn disease management, rather than health and well-being management. Med school leaves out what we know are the most important factors related to health and well-being – nutrition, exercise, stress management (a huge one), environment, relationships/community, lifestyle.
The medical schools need a complete overhaul.
But look around, more and more you will see more “functional medicine” doctors who look at the whole picture, not just symptoms.
I think the biggest hurdle people face when trying to stick to healthy habits like exercise and eating whole foods, is people try to adopt too many new habits on a large scale. As opposed to adopting one habit at a time on a smaller scale and building on that habit until it becomes like muscle memory, where they don’t have to think about it. They just do it.
Yes, this is important. One step at a time works better for most than a complete overhaul all at once.
It is becoming very apparent lately that there is a trend not to believe scientific information and scientists when it comes to personal and global health and health care. Politics is undermining health care and health safety.
As a health fitness professional our biggest competition is the drug industry and healthcare industry promoting treatment of symptoms and not addressing the underlying issue that got people their health problems to begin with.
I agree Jacqueline, with everything you say.
The problem I am seeing is this: two studies looking at the same thing, both well designed, published in highly regarded journals, but come up with varying conclusions. Perhaps even opposite conclusions. In the end, we all believe what we want to believe. We look for “evidence” that supports our beliefs, and disregard “evidence” that does not.
Although we currently have some pioneers in the medical field aggressively pushing the importance of diet in creating and maintaining health and well being, most doctors still don’t get it.
I realize that most doctors are ignorant of the significant role diet, exercise, stress relief and sleep play in minimizing disease and it’s severity but until we do a check on the egos we’re going to continue jeopardizing the health and well being of people, waiting for the next pharmaceutical as we are seeing with the pandemic.
Elizabeth I think you made a spot-on point about the education that is pushed in medical school. I know that most med schools require no more than ONE class in nutrition, which is considered a throw-away by most students, while drug and device reps are integrated in their day to day lives. I used to do clinical research in hospitals and clinics and have seen it first hand. The bigger picture is that we now live in a world where we expect and are promised that we can have anything right now (although the true cost is always glossed over). I find that few people are really willing to put in the work to reach their health goals, which is the only way that someone reaching their goal will ever really fight for the end goal. We all need to reject this lifestyle of instant gratification and embrace the journey! As members of the fitness community we all need to serve as examples of natural, robust health through clean eating and commitment to fitness.
Yes Sarah! Good (or worthwhile) things in life tend to take time and commitment. Being a role model is powerful. Enjoy the journey!
I think there is a continuum on this. Some folks are stuck with a certain view of themselves that prohibits making any changes. Some folks know they should do better, but don’t dig around to find out what really works to create change. Many people would definitely rather take a pill than change their habits. Even if doctors are wanting their patients to have a better lifestyle, they don’t have time to help them get to it. Just giving advice doesn’t work. The best way to get results is with one on one coaching. However, this is not available to many, and many don’t want to get involved with it anyway.
Kristen, you nailed it with “Some folks are stuck with a certain view of themselves that prohibits making any changes”. What we believe (view) is way more powerful than whatever “evidence” is present. How do we help our clients change their view of their self?
In our community there is an attitude of Zero personal responsibility. A person needs to understand the connection between the impact of their decisions, and how it will benefit THEM. Short term, and long term.
Unless they are able to experience this, as well as enjoy little successes along the way, tough for us.
Unfortunately, as long as there are media giants that promote ” take the diet pill & eat whatever you want”, as well as”Drop 20 pounds in 1 week by taking this product” out there, the general population will follow their senseless leadings.
Sadly, as per the old adage, ‘you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t force it to drink’. Individuals have options and they choose which path they want to take.
Yes all really good points. Laura was correct in the zero personal responsibility part but it seems to be larger than community wide. The doctors are not the ones that need to be the enemy. My one son is a 4th year Med student and his wife is a PA student and my other son and wife are both Physical Therapists. They all say that so many people only do what they want to do. If they go in for treatment many don’t do the follow-up. And my med school son has a undergrad degree in ExSC with some nutrition aspects. They are taught to only have 10 min. with a patient. It is ultimately up to to each person to do something for themselves. We (as a society) have engineered movement out of our lives. It’s hard to believe that so many people suffer from malnutrition and obesity at the same time.