An Obesogenic Environment is one that promotes weight gain and one that is definitely not conducive to weight loss. These are high energy environments where foods with little nutritional value are cheaper than foods that are more healthy. This is often seen in urban areas that encourage car travel over walking, or taking lifts as they are in clear view, but stairs seem to be hidden from plain sight.
Most places around the world, but especially in the UK and the USA, display an array of tempting cream cakes in the windows or counters of food shops, enticing customers to come in and spend money. There are thousands of fast food chains along every high street with tempting ‘’special offers’’ and seductive pictures of food that make it irresistible and affordable to buy. These are reinforced by the plethora of fast food home delivery apps, where you can order what you want simply from your phone, which is a quick and tempting alternative to cooking a meal, especially when you have kids or come home late from work and too exhausted to prepare anything.
The increasing consumption of meals away from home or from takeaways has been identified as an important factor contributing to the rising levels of obesity. It also contributes to problems surrounding our health that can be attributed to the chemicals and additives that are found in the food and are possibly thought to be one of the main contributors to ADHD and autism.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has proposed banning advertisements for junk food and drink from underground stations and bus shelters. He wants to tackle the “ticking time bomb” of child hood obesity in London. The scheme is backed by the child health experts, however, the Advertising Standards Association said it would have “little impact”.
Interestingly, the link between smoking and lung cancer was spotted in 1952 however it has taken decades to restrict smoking. Unfortunately it seems that it will take just as long for developed nations to dismantle their obesogenic environments. Advising clients to reframe from eating certain types of food and to get on a healthy eating programme is one thing, whilst ‘rewiring’ the brain, changing the way they think and how they act regarding food is another. And this is where hypnotherapy comes in. Hypnosis not only handles the behaviours, but can also treat the root cause of unhealthy eating. This can result in a long-term positive and healthy relationship with food that beneficially challenges the influence of any obesogenic environment.
Michelle Hill
The Mind’s Eye London
