What Does Dieting Do To My Body and Mind?
Written by Isabel Vasquez RD, LDN
Dieting may seem harmless (if anything, many people think it’s healthy!) but it can wreak real havoc on the body and the mind.
The thing is, our bodies don’t know the difference between voluntary restriction (like from a diet) and a famine. When they recognize that they aren’t getting enough energy, they set off a cascade of effects to survive. These changes can be seen in dieters, those with eating disorders, refugees, or those facing food insecurity.
The most influential study on this topic is the Minnesota Starvation Study. It took place during World War II and was intended to explore how starvation affects the body and mind, as many were facing food deprivation at that time. In this blog, we’re sharing the details of this study so you can understand how dieting can affect your body and mind.
What Was the Minnesota Starvation Study?
The Minnesota Starvation Study was an attempt to understand the effects of semi-starvation on the body and mind since there were prisoners of war facing extreme food insecurity and hunger during World War II.
The study consisted of a six-month long semi-starvation period where the men’s calorie intake was cut in half.
We won’t be sharing the specific calories here to avoid triggering folks who may be reading this, but know that the calorie restrictions during the starvation phase of the study were higher than the amounts promoted by many diets now. The participants also engaged in regular physical activity.
What Did the Study Reveal About The Effects of Dieting?
The Starvation Period
Keep in mind that the motivation for the men’s restriction was not rooted in diet culture. This demonstrates that it’s the restriction and semi-starvation itself that trigger these harmful effects. Changes seen amongst the men included:
Playing with food
Doing things to extend the meal or promote fullness (e.g. drinking lots of water and/or chewing a lot of gum)
Obsession with food shown through collecting recipes or daydreaming about food
Mood swings and apathy
Decreased energy
Decreased motivation
Decreased sex drive
Preference for solitude
The Rehabilitation Period
The six-month semi-starvation period was followed by a 20-week rehabilitation period.
At first during the rehabilitation period, the men’s moods seemingly worsened. One man even chopped off three of his own fingers with an ax! We aren’t sure whether it was on purpose or not.
Three months into the rehabilitation period, the men’s mood and social behavior did stabilize.
However, throughout that rehabilitation period, their eating behavior did not fully return to normal, and some participants reported continued binges eight months later.
Differentiating between hunger and normal appetite continued to prove challenging for some of these men.
Whether it’s from a famine or a diet, our bodies will set these changes into effect if the deprivation is significant enough.
Those who are struggling or have struggled with an eating disorder have likely experienced most of the symptoms described above. While it can take time for them to resolve, nourishing oneself adequately is the most important step towards reversing them.
Those without an eating disorder but who diet or restrict likely experience at least some of these symptoms. Things like losing out on life, solitude, lack of energy, food preoccupation, and artificially promoting fullness are common amongst my clients who are restricting.
Clients come to us with some of these concerns and think weight loss is the answer. This study demonstrates how restricting may actually be the problem, not the answer, and improving one’s relationship with food and de-centering weight is the likely solution.
NOTE: If you think you or someone you know may be struggling with an eating disorder, please visit Project Heal for resources and support.
For education on how to ADD nutrition to your favorite Latine cultural dishes, make peace with food, and focus on your health without dieting, join our nutrition library for just $27/month.
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