International No Diet Day (INDD) is celebrated yearly on May 6 around the world to promote body positivity, self-acceptance, and acceptance of all body shapes and sizes, as well as to raise awareness about the risks of diets.
Symbol:
The International No Diet Day symbol is a light blue ribbon.
Objectives:
- The goal of INDD is to promote a healthier and more sustainable approach to health and well-being, with a focus on self-love, body acceptance, and mental and emotional wellness.
- The day also attempts to raise awareness of eating disorders, which are a serious mental health issue that affects people of all ages, genders, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Background:
- Mary Evans Young, a British feminist and director of a British group called ‘Diet Breakers’, established International No Diet Day in 1992.
- The first INDD occurred in the United Kingdom (UK) in 1992.
Diet:
- Diet is the regulation of one’s food intake in order to enhance physical health, notably to reduce obesity or what is considered excess body fat.
- Dieting programs are based on reducing lipids, carbs, and proteins, which make up the majority of a person’s dietary intake (other than water) and are required sources of energy.
Dietary benefits:
- A good diet can help to improve and maintain overall health, including both mental and physical health.
- It promotes immunity and reduces the risk of illness, type 2 diabetes, and certain malignancies.
Dieting Risks:
- Dieting rarely has favorable results. Within one to five years, 95% of dieters regain the weight they lost and more.
- Dieters frequently experience physical effects such as thinning hair, loss of coordination, dehydration, and electrolyte abnormalities.
- Dieting also has an affect on the mind. When a person reduces food, their energy level decreases, which may impair their cognitive abilities.