Relationships and Diet

The last thing anyone wants to hear is “honey, you’ve gained a little weight”. When your significant other encourages you to diet, will it help or hinder your efforts to lose a few?

A diet discussion with your significant other was often viewed as critical versus supportive. This can lead to dangerous behavior, including fasting, taking diet pills and using laxatives.

Researchers surveyed more than two thousand adults between the ages of 20 and 31 who were in relationships. All were asked about their eating habits and whether their partner diets…or encourages them to diet. Almost half of the participants said their significant other pushed them to diet…and their encouragement was often viewed as critical versus supportive.

Women who said they were frequently encouraged to diet by their significant other engaged in binge eating at nearly double the rate of those who said they were never asked to loose a few. Overall, more than 40 percent of the people surveyed had used extreme diet tactics in the past year, 51-percent of women and almost 30-percent of men.

The takeaway for couples, according to the researchers…Try encouraging exercise and positive conversation about health versus looks when it comes to this weighty issue.