Relationship with Food – How Does It Affect Well-Being?

The Relationship with Food Evolves Throughout Life

Our relationship with food begins to form even before birth, as a mother's eating habits influence the fetus’s taste preferences through amniotic fluid (study 1). Children naturally know how to regulate their eating according to hunger and fullness cues, but gradually external factors, such as diet tips on social media, begin to guide our eating behavior, for example, in the form of various prohibitions and restrictions. 

Parents' role modeling is a central factor in the development of a healthy relationship with food. Health-promoting habits are built during childhood and typically carry through into adulthood. Adolescence, in particular, is a vulnerable period for the development of one’s relationship with food and body image. As we grow into adulthood, in addition to biological signals, our relationship with food begins to be shaped by our personal values and attitudes, body image, and environmental conditions. The relationship with food also encompasses the emotions, thoughts, beliefs, and habits related to food and eating (study 2).

Relationship with Food and Health

In recent years, the approach of educating and holding individuals responsible for their health has been criticized, as increasing knowledge alone has not proven sufficient to cause behavior change. Focusing only on individual responsibility ignores the fact that everyday food choices result from complex, partly automatic processes influenced not only by willpower but also by many social, cultural, infrastructural, and economic factors.

The food relationship framework was developed as an alternative to traditional nutrition education, which emphasizes individual responsibility for weight (study 2). In this framework, eating is not seen solely as nourishing the body, but also as a part of social, cultural, and psychological well-being. The model broadly takes into account factors such as individual resources, social roles, and self-worth as a part of eating. The relationship with food is viewed as constantly evolving and shaped by ongoing experiences related to food.

Body Image as a Part of Well-Being

The food relationship framework also includes the concept of body image, individual’s experience of their own body. It is influenced by appearance but also by emotions, identity, and thus it impacts overall well-being. There has been more and more discussion around body diversity, and it is now widely recognized that people in larger bodies often face prejudice (study 3). Although higher body weight increases the risk of many diseases, weight is not the sole indicator of health. Adopting health-promoting lifestyle habits can bring significant health benefits even without changes in weight. Healthcare should be provided equitably to all individuals, regardless of body size, and the enjoyment of food should not be a privilege for people of normal weight. 

Respect and acceptance for oneself and one’s body are essential regardless of size. A positive body image supports trust in the body’s hunger and fullness signals, which promotes balanced eating. In contrast, a negative body image can lead to restrictive eating and cycles of dieting. Self-compassion, treating oneself with kindness and understanding, especially during setbacks, has been shown to support weight management and positive dietary changes (study 4).

Balancing a Healthy Relationship with Food with Healthful Eating

How can you maintain a healthy relationship with food, nourish your body in a way that supports well-being, and still accept yourself as you are? Our current food environment, which encourages quick and energy-dense choices, challenges our daily food decisions. Additionally, social media distorts our perception of the ideal body and the "perfect" diet. A healthy diet does not mean perfection. In fact, one could say that a diet that is perfect for the body may not be healthy for the mind.

Characteristics of a good relationship with food include listening to hunger and fullness cues, having neutral or positive emotions related to food, feeling in control of eating without strict rules and managing emotions in ways other than using food. Finding balance requires awareness but also self-compassion and a kind attitude toward setbacks. When food choices support both mental and physical well-being, and eating remains in balance without rigid control, a health-promoting diet and a positive relationship with food can go hand in hand.

Summary: 

• A relationship with food refers to an individual’s attitude to eating, encompassing thoughts, emotions, and behaviors related to food
• This relationship is shaped early in life through the role modeling of close adults and the surrounding culture. Habits learned in childhood often follow us into adulthood.
• Body acceptance and self-compassion support both weight management and positive changes in eating habits.
• Healthy eating can coexist with a healthy relationship with food when one listens to hunger and fullness cues, eats regularly and approaches all foods with a flexible, non-restrictive mindset.

Main Text:

Emma Järvensivu
Student of Nutritional Science at the University of Helsinki
Intern at the Mind Nutrition project

References

Study 1: Ventura, A. K., Phelan, S., & Silva Garcia, K. (2021). Maternal Diet During Pregnancy and Lactation and Child Food Preferences, Dietary Patterns, and Weight Outcomes: a Review of Recent Research. Current nutrition reports, 10(4), 413–426. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-021-00366-0

Study 2: Talvia, S., & Anglé, S. (2018). Kohti vaikuttavampaa ohjausta – ruokasuhteen viitekehys ravitsemuskasvatuksen lähestymistapana. Sosiaalilääketieteellinen Aikakauslehti, 55(3). https://doi.org/10.23990/sa.74156

Study 3: Westbury, S., Oyebode, O., van Rens, T., & Barber, T. M. (2023). Obesity Stigma: Causes, Consequences, and Potential Solutions. Current obesity reports, 12(1), 10–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-023-00495-3

Study 4: Brenton-Peters, J., Consedine, N. S., Boggiss, A., Wallace-Boyd, K., Roy, R., & Serlachius, A. (2021). Self-compassion in weight management: A systematic review. Journal of psychosomatic research, 150, 110617. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110617